Simply Fiction
by Neko no Dreama
Summary: The Decepticons return to face the Autobots twenty years after they lose at Mission City, yet they are not fighting alone. They are joined by a new race of humans that have been infused with their technology. It is no longer just their war...
1. Prologue

Okay.... so this is a story that was co-written with xhikarangel777. We worked hard on it and are very proud. There are lots of OCs so please forgive that. They play the most important role in this one but the mechs are just as big so if you don't like OC run stories... then don't bother reading.

**Simply Fiction**

It's no long just their war...

* * *

Prologue

I'm a Witwicky girl... Or at least used to be. Now my name is spelled upon paper as Gabriella Dellon. It sort of reminds me of an expensive cheese, though, I suppose that's the type of name all upper class bloodlines are. But, before I was adopted by this family, I was Witwicky - _just_ El Witwicky...

My parents were killed when I was just ten. I don't quite understand their death, just that it was a horrible accident. An accident that nearly killed me too. I don't remember anything before the surgery that saved the life my parents had fought so hard to give to me. Only the white blaring lights that stared back into my chestnut eyes and the feel of needles poked into my skin and the piercing pain that singed even in the aftermath of my operation. Though, besides my surgery, everything before the age of ten is a blur. The only remembrance is the yellow Camaro I received from inheritance... Not money for school, or even a family portrait...But a car. I still don't understand the meaning behind it, but it still has the scent of my parents along the leather seats, and that is all that satisfies me. And yet, I feel that I'm missing something drastic.

The truth of my parents death, the nearly golden Camaro that gleams in our driveway, and most importantly the deep unknown feeling in the pit of my abdomen that always comes to notice at the end of the night.

~Gabriella Dellon

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I've watched the girl since Sam and Mikeala's death. I'm certain its what Sam would desperately wish, after his...sudden murder. I regret to say I've failed horribly in being a guardian to him, though, perhaps, I can make things correct with his daughter. My hope is to succeed as her guardian, where I have so obviously failed with Sam Witwicky. I cannot this time cause the death of another on account of my own ignorance.

Gabriella's surgery - _El's_ surgery, as she seems to be preferred to be called - is not of the norm. Yet the metal inserted to allow her blood vessels to flow properly, is strangely familiar. I have found there are others similar to her...condition. Only handfuls with the same rate of heart beat and oddly low body temperature, have been detected by my sensors, though, Prime informs me there are a large number more beyond are detections.

At the time being, this is not my concern.

This time I will be more diligent in one's time, in secret. Hidden from any sight of organic eyes. Until that specified date, she will not know who or what I am, only that I am her vehicle to use as she pleases.

**- ****B u m b l e b e e **

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I should be dead.

Someone should be leaning over my lifeless corpse within this fragment of time...Yet, I stand here, breathing coolly from my cold lips. Or rather...should my lips be warm, from the burns that cross upon it? I do not know.

I do not know, because of the flames that took my body from me and replaced it with this...thing. This wretched body that I've been cursed to live along, forever eternal. Maybe, in a sense, I am like those in tales. A vampire, perhaps? And yet I hold no fangs...No pale, beautiful skin...Only metal.

It does not help that I live in this rich bloodline that is not mine.

It does not help that I am a freak of nature; before and even more now.

And it certainly does not help...that I should be dead.

- J.A.Y.

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I have come in contact with, what is possibly, the most advanced race upon this world, aside from our own. Though linked to the humans, it is oddly worlds apart from their race.

Worlds apart from theirs, but not nearly as far from ours.

I've detected them - several of them roaming this city. I've found one, in particular...A female, who is a 'distinct' autonomous, mechanical and organic organism. She is not new to this world, not by several years. I have come to the conclusion she was introduced to our technology at a very young age, enough to traumatize her mind for eternity. It has been a full month that I have watched her. From what I have witnessed, she believes I am an Earth vehicle for her employment use. During this time with her, I'll observe and analyze her behaviors to come to a significant conclusion of her race.

Friend or foe, I am slowly comprehending. Though, their dangers and strengths...are much more advanced then I have ever hoped...

**- O p t i m u s P r i m e**


	2. Chapter One

Simply Fiction

Chapter One

A trickle of blood fell casually down her lips. The crimson staining the edges of her mouth. It was three o' clock. The usual time this occurred. The usual time the scarlet would mark her complexion of coffee. Stumbled along the ground, she would rub the remains of blood from her lips, like she would every three o' clock on school days. Lifting her head to the blurred figure above her. The tall slender Abigail -Gail, Abbie, whatever one would wish- loomed over her, snickering from the corner of her ruby lips - and, of course, the usual blonde stature that blocked her sunlight. The 'perfect' end to her day wouldn't be complete without the 'perfect' a-hole to ruin her view of the glistening halo of light.

This was El.

No, not the tall blonde, but the slumped over tiny existence of a girl, with the black tomboy hair and the large chocolate eyes. The one with the blood trailing down her chin as it warmed her tan flesh. The one in the black skirt and boots, with a button down white shirt and undone tie. Yes, this was El.

"...Must we go through this today, 'Abs...?" she whispered, harshly for her status, bringing herself to her feet, only to stumble back down as she was shoved, due to the firm posture of words as they flowed from her lips.

"What was that?" Abigail demanded, her pink fingernails curling about her hips as her chin was held high; vision shifted to the melancholy sight before her.

"Abigail," El corrected herself, shuddering as the sight of her blood droplets reached the tips of fingers from the point where she had tried to wipe away the scarlet that ruined her skin.

Finding this appropriate, the blonde giggled. The giggle that drove El crazy, the same giggle that chimed in the air as though they were wind chimes against the cool breeze. Kneeled over still along the gravel, El's knees dug into the particles of rock and dirt, the tiny bits diving sadistically into her flesh, manufacturing indents upon her skin. It was not until footsteps reached her ears, and, was she perking her head up toward the blonde above her, she would see the smirk twitch at Abigail's lips. El clutched her hands about the gravel, her palm curling firmly about the loose substance so that it leaked from in between her fingers.

It was a rather sad vision.

It was almost similar to life among the savanna. The gazelle cowered down beneath the massive lion, pleading in the most dismal method as scarlet stained its coat. This was the thought that crossed El's mind. She, of course, was the dreary gazelle. She too would've began to beg, were it not for the shadow she had noticed towering over her, from behind her frame. Brought from her dazed state of mind, she lifted her head to look to the lofty frame apart from Abigail.

Jaden.

Abigail's concubine, or at least would be if he did not hold male attributes. In the showering sunlight, he almost looked angelic with the beams of golden radiance that shone about his frame. Sparkling along his long honey hair that framed his face and just fell short of his shoulders. And he knelt down beside her. His large hands pressing around El's shoulders and lifted her body upwards to her feet. Those immense chocolate eyes that darted coldly from El's trail of blood that warmed her skin unnaturally to his owner's immense chortling.

Jaden took a breath and took a step toward Abigail, though, she was a rather tall prate, he somehow managed to still look enormous in comparison. He was still gorgeous, of course, but the fact he was a slave to Abigail made his angelic light dim partially, but it still shone nonetheless. He took a breath, and began to speak, "Abbie..." he began, in a voice deep and smooth, "why do you insist on torturing the school nerds?"

The angelic light and beauty suddenly vanished. Well, that was rather pleasant. He could've at least been a _little_ subtle upon his opinion of El, as a 'nerd' he so called.

Abigail took Jaden's hands, both within her polished fingers, and she smirked still. The gloss of her lips shimmering in the light. Her hazel eyes marched along Jaden's expression, taking in the beauty before her. Before she spoke, she leaned upwards, pulling his hands down, and apparently, his entire frame as well, so that she managed to press her lips firmly to his. The light shone gloriously about the two, and their kiss seemed to make the place even immensely brighter. The bobbed haircut of Abigail's golden hair swayed and framed her face in the gentle breeze that caressed her cheeks.

El nearly gagged.

She broke away from the Greek god's lips, though, Abigail had ceased to release his hands and so she allowed her fingers to trail about his exotic ecru skin, "The same reason I insist on keeping your ass, you silly boy."

Jaden shook his head, though his expression had not changed from the inquiring that he had attempted to manage before he had found a tongue jammed down his throat. His mouth fell dry, and he cleared his throat, a small coughing noise emitted from the premises of his lips. He seemed...ambiguous - was that the proper term? Or maybe cryptic - no, no...not cryptic. Undetermined - yes that was it. Propping his head a bit more forward and closer to Abigail's face, he opened his mouth to speak, but rather then some form of words, he released a sigh and took her hand. For a moment, he did only this, holding her hand gently in his own lengthy fingers, but he then place his features into her neck, secreting them, as he, assumingly, nipped at her long neck.

Again, El almost hurled.

Though, he was shoved from her body. Abigail arched an eyebrow at him, and she stood, staring coldly to his puppy dog eyes. Her breath came in pieces, and her hair swayed in harmony to the distorted breaths she exhaled, "Not now, you ass..." she moaned, "Damn...Can't keep you off me for one second..."

Jaden's expression suddenly filled with a warm light, "...Aw...c'mon..." he pouted, however, his lips still danced with amusement, flickering coolly from disappointment to entertainment as he encircled his arms about her body.

Craning her neck upwards toward the God like emblem before her eyes, Abigail pinned her all-but-fragile fingers to his lips. His thin mouth, was warm to her skin, stirring odd satisfaction to her body, "No, no - be a good little mutt, besides...Our audience doesn't deserve to witness this anyway," as the words fell casually - so much it seemed impossibly natural - she shifted her foot against the gravel toward El's body. She was knelt down along the ground, regaining her belongings in her timid palms, as the panes of dirt were swiped toward her vision and along any of her exposed flesh.

Once El coughed the remnants of dirt particles from her lips, and brushing delicately the small spectacles apart from her summery skin. Her fingers ran along her arm and texture of her clothing, the feel appetizing some strange sense of annoyance. Lifting her head upwards, opening her mouth in protest, though no words ever exited from her mouth. No forms of disapproval left from her currently puckered lips. Jaden and Abigail had gone, bickering there love spat as they wandered away, hand in hand in taunting methods and elegant strolls.

Emitting a frustrated groan from her own lips, El gathered the remainder of her belongings and stood. She wobbled for a moment, nearly tripping on accord of her own two feet, as she always would. Though, ironically, El may of held book smarts and more, but she had very little in the graceful department. With a stumble along a transition of gravel to sidewalk concrete, she managed to get to her car - her trusty racing striped Camaro. It was parked neatly at the edge of the road, glistening and inviting as it waited for her, as always. Its golden and black hood sparkled endlessly against the halo of the sun. If there was anything El could be proud of, it was the fact that she had one kick ass car.

She slid herself into the safe boundaries of the Camaro. The leathery black interior inviting with its warmth as it always was. The caresses of the seat ran against her skin, as she lied back against the head of the seat, one hand clutching the handle at the door beside her. The scent...the luxurious scent of vanilla and chocolate was wafted to El's senses and she smiled faintly, but that was all. Only one smile that was protruded from her lips, but that was just enough for now. Once setting her bag upon the empty seat beside her, she dug into the pocket of her plaid skirt and brought a silver key to her vision. Running her fingers over the silver, El brought the small tool to the ignition and twisted it.

The Camaro purred to life. The vibrations of the vehicle sinking through the seats, and the warmth of it flooding to El's skins. Her heart raced for a moment in the cavities of her chest. Whether it was from the sudden roar of the engine or her escape of her usual 3 o' clock agenda was unknown... A bead of scarlet fell to her lap. At this, El, ran her hand along her chin and cheek, then brought her hand to her vision. It was not just the crimson bits of blood that stained the nibs of her fingers and palm, but clear liquid droplets that swerved along the markings of her hand. At this, El seemed suddenly surprised. Why was she...sobbing? The word made her cringe at how dismal she was, and how..._sadly_...correct Abigail had portrayed her. The vision of the gazelle and lion came back into view. No - El refused to believe this and she pressed her foot on the pedal of the car, beginning to drive down the road, desperately trying to ignore the sobs that were emitted from her eyes. Suddenly...the radio burst to life.

_'Hey, don't write yourself off yet. It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on. Just do your best, do everything you can. And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say. It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride (over, and over). Everything, everything it'll be just fine (over, and over). Everything, everything it'll be alright (alright).'_

If this occurrence did not already happen often, El would've have declared some form of surprise - widened eyes, a jolt in her posture...but she was still, her eyes placed on the black cement river ahead of her. The music billowing from the radio so suddenly was as common an occurrence as breathing itself. The vibrations...the words...It was all so usual for El as the judders that pulsed through the mechanics of the vehicle swerved down the spine of her body. It was the same; the same as each day. The scent of candies, the unexpected outbursts from the radio...the sensation and vague remembrance of her parents.

The Camaro slowed to a stop; smoothly just inches before the vehicle's bumper beyond it. El looked down to the wheel, not quite recalling pressing the breaking pedal underneath her foot, but, in contrast, she did not complain about her absent memory. For, if she did not come to such a steady halt, the front of her precious Camaro would have wrecked against the tiny Volkswagen beetle in front of her. El then glanced about, first to her hands, to discover that her knuckles had become a pale white as the skin stretched along the bone. Her fingers were curled tightly - roughly - about the leathery wheel and it was this that frightened her; not the statement of nearly wrecking her Camaro, but that she held a death grip upon the wheel.

Prying her cold fingers from the wheel, El leaned her head out the open window. She craned her head to analyze how badly the traffic had become today...and a loathsome moan escaped her lips. There, just beyond the tiny beetle, a plentiful of cars trailed into the city. Their lights flashed mercilessly at one another's sides, colliding with the beeps and honks that emitted from the midst of the vehicle's chests, stinging El's eardrums as her head was set just outside and against the brushing wind that caressed her cheeks. Her eyes squinted as her vision plunged to the edges of the traffic, but, as hard as she pushed her senses, she could not view the end of the onslaught of cars that were piled just behind each other. Only miles of cars...bumper to bumper...each waiting to pursue the journey to wherever it is they planned to travel.

This would be quite a long wait...

Several cars down, much closer to the dazzling lights of the city, a large semi truck sat. Its metal skin was decorated in blue and crimson flames, shining magnificently against the radiance that flooded its hard corners and edges. The sun's threatening heat sinking through its window, seeping to its drivers flesh within; warming her copper skin as it massaged through the texture of clothes. The female sat, annoyance written in her white eyes, as they pried through the never-ending line of vehicles just ahead. Her hands gripped the wheel strenuously, so that the skin on her fingers went an off white. Lips exhaling a lament, she spoke to no person, only to the cool air that cycled about the front of the truck.

"Screw this damn traffic..." she growled, "...In a second I'm going to rampage straight through this...Fuck these stupid non-moving cars...Fuck this damn catering business. I can manage just fine without their stupid salary. I - "

Before she could finish, the radio purred for a moment, skimming the stations, before proclaiming music from its vibrating speakers.

_Calm down...Calm down...baby just calm down...(calm down)..._

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" shouted the enraged female, but her grip loosened and her eyelashes fluttered as she thought. A sigh was unbidden from her mouth, "Great, Jay...You're talking to a semi."

Yes. Jay. That was her name. Or rather, she would write it as 'J.A.Y.' in initials along any form of parchment. What they stood for? No one quite knew, only that they hid her blood's official name, so that only one would know if she whispered it from her own set of lips adorned with glimmering gloss. Her oddly colored hair fell from her shoulders, loosely in strands of dark pink. That's right, pink... Dipped with black along the ends; like multicolored lace, undone and skimming her jacket covered back. It was punk; the style of her clothing. A tight, revealing sort of punk so that it was represented as_ almost _sluttish. Chains dangled from her more-then-short-enough skirt, framing her fishnet-armored thighs. They tug and shone in the halos of light magnified through the window of the truck.

Her knuckles were still clutched, still an odd color of white - a contrast to her outlandish skin. She groaned and slammed her head along the steering wheel, sliding her hands near the edges. The dense texture somehow was relaxing against her slender fingers, her nails dug into the bits of the wheel, as Jay's eyes suddenly shut with demise. She growled. It built up in her chest, rumbling softly in the corridor of her torso, building into her throat so that she almost coughed out the bellow of repugnance. It threatened its exit from Jay's shining lips, but she looked up, her mouth and below hidden behind the wheel she clutched with such force it nearly stung her palms. She stared. Just stared at the boundless calamity of honking automobiles. The sight made her sick and she lifted her body to lean back against the head of the seat, so that the light shone against her from the window. There, in the illumination of the sun, through the thick material of the window, was the thick discoloring of burns stained along her lips and chin.

It was an odd color of peach where the markings of burns were pronounced. They were different, yes...And much obvious along her fabulous tan skin, but it didn't change her features. Despite the scarred tissue framing the lower half of her face, she still held an exotic beauty, that none could take from her. A strange beauty that would mystify every person to encounter her injured features. Jay was a rare black flower. A flower picked of just a few of its petals, but this did not make her any less of such a flower.

Prying herself from her thoughts, Jay suddenly clutched her fists and slammed them against the dashboard. They made a small banging sound as they came in contact with the hard surface and her lips suddenly spoke for themselves, "_DAMMIT_!"

And, as if her words were some form of magic, a spiral of fire sprung from the depths of the city just at the edge of Jay's vision. Where the endless line of cars dove into, sat the city, seemingly innocent, but the burst of flames spoke otherwise. It rose in billows of smoke, but through these depths of clouded gray, literally, a spiraling twister of crimson flames sprouted. Just in one instant, and in just one other instant later it vanished into the confines of the afternoon sky. A crystal blue that swallowed the illumination of red. A firework, was Jay's first assumption, due to the way it swayed in such a pattern to be engulfed into the pillows of white hovering just above. The towers and buildings that surrounded the sudden explosion, suddenly seemed insignificant in comparison to such a dazzling sight. Dazzling, was it? Perhaps, but something more seemed to be driven into it. Something that Jay seemed to understand. And suddenly she wished, more then air itself, that the traffic would divulge into the pits of death.

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What was the source of such a bizarre vision that brought Jay's skin to run unusually cold, you may ask? The answer was simple. So obvious that it seemed just too easy. However, not many would consider this answer, no matter how blunt it was presented. Considering it foolish...If this was so, would each human to view this sight be considered clinically insane? Each person of hundreds to be pulled to the confines of a mental hospital? To many, _that _would be considered foolish. After such a date in history, during the time of our parents, the only fools were those who did not trust their own past. If you ever did ask of this event, they would all recall the war. The war placed upon our planet that was not meant against our own. It was _their_ war placed along _our_ world.

The thoughts. The history. It sometimes brings shudders to the reminders that seldom dawns along our crumpled memory. It was during this substance of time, that a new species was created. Mechas. Such a race, was thought to be impossible, at least until the government had decided to interfere. Setting their perimeters along certain boundaries of land, they picked at the injured and those nearing death. With their knowledge of the alien race that previously took refuge along our planet, there intertwined and began their experimentation.

This source of the swelling flames. This..._Mecha_, was one such subject.

She stood at the perch of an open window upon the tenth floor of a towering building. Her chaotic grin punctured rather insanely as others watched in both awe and horror. In the midst of havoc portrayed through the shambles of the city, she laughed. It was emitted from her lips in an obvious deranged tone, echoing against the walls of each looming building. Sparks of fire erupted from the roots of the tower she stood upon. It surged through the constitution, clinging to the walls and windows; heating its boundaries and supports, threatening its very existence. At this, the young girl found amusement, clinging to the edges of the open window, chortling at the flames that sprung about her stature. Her short locks of gold and blue swung about the edges of her entertained features, while her eyes were shut close, secreting the chestnuts behind them. Her body was adorned in cords and mechanics, human flesh and alien gizmos.

This was a Mecha.

This one in particular was modeled after a calculator, so it seemed; a very manic one at that. Like most other Mechas, she was a tiny being; her metal armor shining in the dazzling fire that danced about her body. After just a moment, she opened her eyes; her eyelashes batting as the sun interrupted her vision. Her sight darted from one end of the shouting people below her to the other. Another giggle escaped her lips, as if she was a child of five. And she jumped. Her legs sprung from the very tip of the window as she plunged to her supposed doom, but death did not prevail. Quite the opposite, she landed, several feet below, securely along the cement. At her sight, the humans ran from her. Fearing it. Frightened of it. This, of course, was expected.

"Ah, please!" the female Mecha declared and she swung her arm into the air, the metal glistening with each bead of blood that engraved itself along her armor. Then, in an instant too quick for human eyes, the end of her arm began to be engulfed by mechanics. Electronic cords darting in and out of her flesh, until the lower limb of her arm had formed a sort of cannon. And, again, she shot a spiraling 'firework' from her arm/gun. In the same method as before, it twirled like a ballet dancer and in just one other moment it vanished into the white cotton balls hovering deep within the sky, "I just wanna play with someone!"

Her face was contorted into some sort of pout as she looked to the surroundings about her. Segments of rock and brick were scattered along the ground. Droplets of scarlet gathered along the concrete, rivers swarming into puddles from the same source of massacred humans. What was left alive ran like hell, screaming whatever they could manage from their already strained lungs. At this, the Mecha found it odd, and tilted her head, her other arm forming into another status of a cannon similar to the other, "You wimps! We were just starting to have fun!"

In just one instant, she shot two more flares into the sky, one from each cannon. They sparkled and dazzled into the silent sky. The peaceful clouds that watched in a hush, without a form of remorse. Merely watching and waiting for the end of this act to play out. It was odd to see such tranquility sleeping just above this place of havoc and despair.

And as the sky swallowed the beams of fireworks, there was a clash. No, not a clash of thunder, but it might as well have been from the distinct sound that fell from the air, or was it from the crater that now perched silently in the center of the road. A deep and wide hole just set in between the cluster of buildings. Smoke swerved from the tips of its rigid edges. A small humming sound was emitted from the core of the implanted atrium in the ground. It was barely audible to human ears, but, on the contrary, the female Mecha now stood in a daze, her pupils dilated as she stared. Her arms formed back to human limbs as she continued to gawk at the basin. The calculator like buttons at the sides of her waist and positioned roughly about her thighs and rib cage, began to glow a bright cerulean. The illumination was pronounced dimly in the burning light of the sun, peeking from behind the pillows of white.

A piercing shattering was declared. Windows of vehicles abandoned on the cracked street, exploded to fragments. With a 'ting' sensation of sound whispering to the air, the minims of glass tumbled to the ground. There was an odd silence now. The screaming had ceased and all that was portrayed through the feeling of absent oxygen was murmurs and the crackling of flames. Each _crackle _and _pop_ was pronounced so strangely clear to human ears, and yet, the Mecha remained silent, staring so intently at the crater that had ruptured in the center of the downcast road. Mutely, the Mecha watched, not daring to speak, though, the decor along her armor vaguely radiated a lush color of blue, still. Small sparks were emitted from the wires wrapped about a few of her limbs, but this was dim and barely noticeable...at least in comparison to her eyes. They were merely dilated, this was all, but there was an off set about the lining around it. The small creases as they were widened, and the sensation of burning in the pits of her chestnut irises.

Then, in an instant too fast for organic eyesight, there was a blur, a gust of wind. It was odd, this brush of wind... Very faint and oh so light as it caressed the Earth, and yet, the satisfaction it allowed was all too obvious. The Mecha's arms were now locked behind her, her limbs somehow contorted into some form of knot. Her body was limp and her head was bobbed toward the ground, the strands of hair falling at her cheeks, tracing its ends along the peach of her skin. Legs partially slipping toward the ground, though, her arms were firmly held at her delicate wrists. A touch of smirking lips reached her ear, and a silky male voice whispered to her, "You're slipping, dear Claire..."

It was a tall male Mecha, his body slender and his exposed muscles long and relaxed as it slid over his brilliant skin. His color of flesh was difficult to explain...A light color of tan, so that it was almost considered a form of peach, and yet it still held some form of exotic persona about it. The eyes that darted over the edges of her, Claire's, face were an odd color of white, almost as if the very edges of his iris and pupils had succumbed to death, and yet...the shade of his eyes were abnormally beautiful. The strands of his short onyx hair flowing at the edges of his eyelashes, dancing and intertwining with one another in the most curious way. His grip was clutched so firmly to Claire's wrist, that you would think they would snap any moment. The armor that draped his flesh was, amusingly, based after a game system known as the Game boy Advanced SP. The metallic metal covered his ears as well in a form of headphones, allowing his eardrums to be placed immune to the high pitched squeal of humming still emitted from the depths of the crater.

"_Jacob_...quit provoking the captive," sighed a gentle female voice, even in irritated tones, there was form of gentle endearment wrapped about the words.

Jacob, as he was now called, lifted his head and a manner of disappointment was spread along his features. His lips curled into a tiny frown as his eyes found another two females - another two _Mechas_ -that now presented themselves at the edge of the gaping, humming, hole. At this vision, Jacob spoke to the girl to the right, the one who had spoken previously, "Just making sure she was aware of her falling standards, Claudia."

She - Claudia - sighed. Her long black curls fell to her lower back, rare and random streaks of red, blue, green, and orange spread evenly about her hair; the colors of the Play station logo. As her hair suggested, her armor and body wear consisted of PS2 inspired metal. As she folded her slender fingers together and held them in front of her puckered lips, her light skin nearly glowing in the light. She had to squint her eyes closed for a moment, in a sense of holding her anger, but they soon opened, revealing pools of glowing cerulean, "Falling standards aside...Felicia has analyzed the full capacity of Claire's course of destruction..."

Claudia motioned toward the small being beside her as she stated the name 'Felicia' (she too, like Jacob and Claudia wore a set of headphones along her ears, blocking the piercing sound). Felicia was smaller then most, barely reaching the height of five feet, so it seemed. For a Mecha, she did not look the part, so said her tiny arms and legs, but, despite this, she was covered in an armor of, most suitably, a computer mouse. Felicia's feet were pointing to one another as her voice began to speak, though, surprisingly it was rather firm and clear, "Yes, Claire has destroyed an estimated 70.6 percent of the northwest part of the city...The damages I believe are going to be rather costly for the humans here. I suggest we leave some sort of donation in their benefit."

"_Donation?"_ Jacob repeated in disbelief, his jaw dropped and his words were strained, "What do you mean _'donation'? _We got rid of the cause of destruction, shouldn't that be enough?"

At Jacob's words, Felicia did not move an inch, she only stared at his face, her expression unchanging, "Perhaps, but we were supposed to stop her before she even reached one mile outside city limits and in that sense, we did not successfully complete our job."

"Details...who needs them," sighed Jacob, cringing, and now only holding Claire's wrist with one of his large hands; his fingers curling firmly about them.

In a moment, Claudia was to say something. Some form of remark to Jacob's immature behavior that he twisted to his words, yet, they never came. Instead, her eyes widened and her breaths skipped a few inhales when she realized the sudden decline of humming. It sputtered and winded, gasping for air before the intimate noise finally fell to death, the crackling of the immense flames taking its place. Claudia shuddered and shakes ran up and down her spine, "...I believe...that we have a problem."

Before a single word could respond, before a single scream could be emitted, Claire suddenly burst to life once more. Her eyes resumed to its usual demonic chestnut brown, though they creased to a scowl, her expression twisting and forming into a manner of hate. As her hands were still gripped by Jacob's rough palm, the limbs of her arm formed to cannons once again. The wires circulating her elbows down to the nibs of her fingers. There was a gentle purr and vibration in Jacob's hand, before a large beam of blue was ejected from the ends of her previous arms. At the force and heat of the energy emitted, Jacob recoiled backwards and cringed, the sheer heat singing the metal on his arms. He lifted his head up to Claire, who had begun bounding back up the side of the building she had come from.

"Dammit! C'mon, Claudia, we gotta catch her before she gets out of bounds!" Jacob demanded, the features on his face developed to some form of grimace and he was already prepared to set off.

A nod was pronounced from Claudia and she motioned after Jacob, though, she turned her head toward Felicia, "Monitor her along the city limits, Fe`. She can't get too far if she's being watched."

Some motion of agreement was expressed from Felicia's stature. Finding this suitable, Claudia bounded off, scaling the same building that Claire had just seconds before. Her hair flowed behind her as she ran up the edges of the tower with such agility that did not seem at all human, but, of course...She wasn't exactly human to begin with.

Just within the same moment of time, just before Jacob had joined his comrade to track the immoral Mecha. A flamed truck pulled into the scene, halting, just feet before the immense hole that sat peacefully in the center of the city. Jay was leaned over, rubbing the side of her head and her expression was partially pained. She looked up, her hands gripping the wheel still. Several other vehicles had pulled up beside her, arriving from the still incoming traffic. Unlike her, they did not stop, but continued on through the rubble in a desperate way to continue to their destination. Within moments, Jay's dead eyes ran across to Jacob. Her heart stopped, she could've sworn. For an instant, her hands had stopped shaking as spare strands of hair ran at the edges of her face. She squinted her eyes at the male Mecha and just stared.

He noticed...

...And offered a smile back before whisking into the air after his partner, electrical cords trailing from his body and vanishing, engulfed into the emptiness in the same manner the sky swallowed fire.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jay lied in the front seat of her truck. Silently. Her breathing shallow as it moved unnoticeably up and down and yet she did not sleep. The glow of the moon fell through the windows of the truck. She would refuse to go inside; to wander to the confines of her bedroom just three feet away. Instead, she rested here, in a semi truck upon her driveway. Illumination fell along her skin, her complexion shining dimly in the radiance. She squinted toward the top of her truck as she lay. Her hand had fallen over the edge and skimming the gentle feel of the floor. Jay's fingers uncurled a bit, relaxing to the odd sensation of the ground.

And so she thought. Thought of the serene smile she had been given by that odd boy. How familiar his face seemed...The white of his eyes - _her_ eyes - as they met over the destruction. She could feel his breath, though he was several feet away. She could smell his scent, even though he was not within a decent grasp of her vision...and yet, she could feel the beat of his heart as it thumped in its chest and up his throat. How his chest moved as he breathed, up and down in rhythm to his heart. It was odd. Perhaps, it was too unnatural for these thoughts to run through Jay's mind. She shuddered and pushed the ideas from her head, and still, it was as if she could feel his breath along her cheek and smooth silk of his hair as if it would have touched her cheek. Yes. It was odd. Her eyes shut roughly and she clutched the edge of the seat and through this, her one hand still touched the edge of the ground and it was if she could hear a pulse through the vehicle...As if it was breathing...as if...

And her mind drifted to the vision of her dreams.

Without a single human motion, without one organic touch, the truck purred to life. Its engine revving gently as the warmth of its own heater began to fill the confines of the automobile. The chill of the moon, in a sense, no longer existed; only the tepid vibration that ran through the seat of the vehicle. Again, its engine revved, a bit more loudly, but calm enough in order to let Jay continue her peace in her sleep. The pedal then pushed itself, the reverse set, as it backed from the driveway and down the black river of cement. To where, Jay would not care, as long as she was caressed by its sympathetic calidity that swerved through the resonance of the vehicle and allowed her to slumber peacefully without bother.

The truck did just that, continuing on toward the void of black that was the night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Without a sign of commotion, El flipped through the television, her fingers set gently along the remote as she was sprawled along the bed. Her body was positioned along her stomach as she tilted her head with curiosity upon the television. Same thing on each channel, only labeled differently each time as it was flashed along the screen in brilliant color:

_'Terrorists attack!' _

_'Weirdoes destroy city!' _

_'Aliens invade!'_

At this point, El had moaned with annoyance, her lips pursed with aggravation. She lifted her fingers to the tip of the remote and once more pressed the channel button, going forward upon each screen that was presented. She stared for a moment. Another news channel, and, of course, this one was no different. In particular the screen was labeled in vibrant crimson 'Robot strangers, so says onlookers!'. This was a new one. Robots. The thought was ridiculous and she stifled a small laugh, keeping the channel up for just a few more moments, watching the gray haired newscaster report, as was his job.

"...The robots have fled the city, chasing after one another, however, they seemed to have reacted to this particular noise just before they had left," he announced firmly and the screen flashed...the strange humming noise was pronounced firmly through the TV...

The remote clashed to the ground, El stumbling behind it. Her body shook. The noise...how could they possibly play such annoyance along the channel? It pierced her ears, her eardrums throbbing menacingly. It was as though a jackhammer was pressed against her skull. It stung, it was as though her head was to explode. Her breathing was rapid and her pupils dilated and her body singed from the sheer pitch of the noise.

Then it was over.

Her breathing resumed to its usual status, it took a moment, however. El looked up and stared at the television and she hurriedly scrambled to the off button. For a moment, she only stared at the black vision of the screen. Her eyes dove into the void, trying to find some reason. Some answer to her behavior. She then shook again, chills running down her skin so that her hair stood on end. Her head throbbed vaguely, as she found herself clutching to the TV, the smooth emptiness somehow comforted her; though, she stumbled back to her feet. Placing a hand to her head, El thought rapidly for a moment. Something was off. Was she sick? Yes, that must be it... Some sort of serious disease. That was the reason for her strange manners. She could not return to school tomorrow, not in her condition at least...She needed her phone. She had to call the school and report that she will be absent for the next few days. Quickly, perhaps too rapid, El looked to the edges of the room. Where had she put her phone? Not in her room...Had she even brought it to her room? No, and nor was it on her body. Then it hit her.

Her Camaro.

It was minutes, possibly seconds that El's distraught figure had wandered to the driveway, adorned in a bright green robe that hugged her stature. The smooth fur like texture caressed her body in the chill of the night, the wind rubbing against her cheeks so that they were blushing pink from the evening frost. Her eyes fell to the golden car. At the sight, she very nearly gasped. It was surprising; even in such dismal weather, how spectacular it looked in the moonlight. The gleam of the sky ran along its hood, reflecting back against the endless blanket of sparkling black, a decor of glistening beads shining for, what seemed, the Camaro itself. Was El worthy of such a dazzling machine?

She shook her head, the chopped black strands going back and forth against the edges of her face. It was almost like the texture of lace as it graced her features. El literally staggered to the car, placing her palms along the sides of it, she recoiled for a moment as the chill ran through her palms and stung her fingers. It was a moment before she regained her composer and placed her fingers about the handle of the car door. She quickly swung the door open; it did not make single noise, only a small hush of air that passed. She leaned down and glanced for her phone. She sighed; she'd have to crawl and dig for it, she knew. So, within moments, she set herself on all fours upon the front car seat, searching for her precious phone, and in just another few instances of time...the door slammed shut behind her.

El's head instantly shot up, looking behind her toward the now closed door. She was still upon her hands and knees, her fingers now clutching the leather in panic. Who had shut the door? The thought made her shudder. Had someone been following her? Stalking her? A tone of panic occurred and she went to reopen the door, however, as her fingers reached for the silver handle, the lock was activated. The familiar clicking as the slender silver lock went into its place. Her breath collapsed for a moment and her nails dug at the lock, in a lost attempt of prying it open. Her body then shuddered as she felt the engine purr to life, the familiar, and now unfriendly vibrations that shot through the seats of the car. Her expression twisted into something of bewildered distress as she could feel her body resume shaking, and she pulled at the lock once more; fingers reddening from the force she was trying to open it as her heart raced.

"Let me the fuck out you Satan Camaro!"

The vehicle did not obey, but instead began its drive down onto the road. El watched in horror as her house began to drift away and she continued to struggle at dismantling the door, her breathing hastened as she still continued in her struggle, while, instead of obedience, the radio began to play; a cluster of songs booming from its speakers.

_"-You can trust me. Trust - " "-Do your dance trust me or trust again-" "Trust in me in all you do. Have the faith I - "_

El stared for a moment, and, though, hesitantly she released her firm grip along the handle door. She still shook and she now clutched the leather seat with more rough a way then she had ever before, sweat drizzling timidly from her temple. The car's engine seemed to heighten with sound, as if amused at her actions, and the radio began again.

_"-So thank you for being behind me"_

A shiver was perched over El's body, and this only allowed her nails to dig even deeper, causing small puncture holes in the lining of the seats fabric. Her car was talking to her through radio; of course it happened before, but she had never considered it communication only coincidence. Her heart was beating wildly and she stayed in one corner of the car, putting her feet under her and keeping her body as far in this one corner as possible. The Camaro did not respond, its radio now silent as it drove down the street. Though El still gasped in some form of panicked breathing, her body had relaxed partially; not as tense as it had previously been. Of all the drives she had taken in this machine, this drive would be possibly the most interesting of all.

A number of minutes had surrendered to the fragments of time, as the flame painted truck reached the edge of an empty football stadium. Very rarely did Jay stir, however, as the vehicle hit a small bump, her eyes opened partially; squinting at the blurred view of her vision due to her drowsiness. Vaguely, did she feel the strange sensation of the Earth passing beneath her as the tires rolled down to the cement and making its way through the tunnel toward the emerald field. For a moment, she lifted her head, her eyesight slowly being regained. Jay turned her head partially to the window; the nights chill no longer affecting her. Her expression was unchanging, still dazed characteristics took hold of her face; lips curved downward at the edges and her eyes not open, but neither closed fully. Her white eyes then took notice of the moving environment that passed just beyond the glass of the window. Jay stared for just a few more seconds before resuming her slumber on the warmth of the seat.

Another small bump was declared, as the large truck drove onto the field. Beads of dew along the emerald blade glistened, small reflections being held in the miniscule droplets that were placed delicately along each patch of grass. As the truck made its way along the field, particles of dirt being thrown to the side as its wheels passed through to the center of the stadium. It came to a steady halt and the engine went silent, the pleasurable purr now dead in the brushes of wind that passed. The door of the truck suddenly swung open with a _click, _somehow louder then it would usually be. At the shift of the door, Jay once more resumed consciousness; though, her expression was still the same as previously detected. Tired and indolent. She sat up, reaching for the door to secure herself, but there was nothing there, for it was already swung open to its widest, allowing her to grasp only the sensation of air. Her body shifted over a bit too far, still unknowingly reaching for the handle, but it never came. The weight of her body transferred over to the emptiness outside, and, without much awareness, she fell out of the truck and onto the grass beneath, the grass breaking her fall as it winded down her fallen body.

A small moan of detest escaped her lips, "Ow..." she whispered and curled into a ball along the grass, clutching the blades and attempted to resume her slumber with irritation clearly written in her posture.

As the groan was announced dimly from her lips, a separate revving of an engine was announced clearly through the silence of the stadium. Stirring the hush of the sky, particles of dirt and grass were shoved aside as a gleaming yellow and black Camaro skidded to the field. It turned abrasively, clumps of green and brown being thrown from underneath its tires blunderingly aside. Deep tire tracks were pronounced along the once sparkling green grass, where the Camaro had trudged through. As it swerved about the center of the field, just a few feet difference from the truck. It made another squeal from the black of its tires as it again made an abrupt turn about the field. As it made this twist within the stadium, clumps of brown continuing to be upturned, it clicked open its door. As the vehicle was still rounding, its engine still growling in the mechanics of the automobile, little El was literally shoved from the boundaries of the car and stumbled onto the ground.

She blinked, confused for a moment, and until she had enough knowledge to resume her panicked actions from earlier. El scrambled to her feet, her breathing intense as she turned to face the now halted Camaro just a yard or so in front of her. Without much thought to her actions, she stared at the Camaro and crossed her fingers into a cross in front of her as she began to back away, "GET. THE FUCK. AWAY FROM ME. YOU SATAN CAMARO FREAK!"

Upon her words, the engine revved a bit louder and whirs and mechanics were pronounced as, before El's eyes, her once precious Camaro began to change. The contorting of metal as it snapped and separated, wires clinging to the body of the automobile as clicking and electronic sounds were declared through the field. Her heart thumped, and her body shook in fear as El craned her neck upwards now. Its golden metal shone in the light of the moon, still as spectacular as it stood in her driveway. Frost framed parts of its mechanics and technology that made up the sum of its immense frame. There it stood, upon two legs, seventeen feet high in the center of the football stadium. The wind about it seemed to cease as it came in contact with its callous exoskeleton. It was no longer a simple Camaro, but a colossal alien robot.

"Oh...my...god."

El's words came strained and forced as she looked up to the metal being before her. She backed away, shaking nervously as she simply stared upwards. She was entranced, and yet, fear engulfed in her in a series of shakes that rolled up and down her arms. She took a breath, her throat dry. She backed up a bit more, taking a few steps until she stumbled backwards upon Jay.

Jay moaned and muttered in detest, her words drowsy with annoyance, "...Get...off me..." she griped, her eyes shut as she clutched to the grass. Her body still sprawled along the field in a desperate attempt of continuing her slumber.

El did not respond, but instead scrambled to her feet quietly, turning her body away from her now robotic Camaro. She was still shaking, as she massaged her temples and shut her eyelids forcefully, "...All right, Gabriella...You're dreaming, that's all...There is no giant Satan Camaro behind you. You're sleeping in your bed at home and your car is not the spawn of Satan coming to get you."

"Bumblebee."

The word came firm to her ears. It had a tint of mechanism hidden in the voice. Her heart thumped in her throat and she turned around to face the robot, and she once more nearly had fallen back down. It had kneeled down along the grass and knelt over so that it was a bit closer to eye level, now only a foot or two from her face. El gulped, her throat still throbbing dry, "E-excuse me...?"

For a moment, the 'Camaro' did not say a word, looking off for a moment at the flamed truck that still sat silently aside just beside the tired Jay curled upon the field's grass. It then looked back to El and continued, "Bumblebee...My name - not 'Satan Camaro'."

At this, El could not speak, only inhale and exhale heavily in silence. She stared; her eyes wide and she said nothing. No comment including the word 'Satan' left her mouth once she realized 'Bumblebee' was now speaking to her...her car...Her once ordinary Camaro, then again, it was never normal in the sense that it would randomly turn the radio on as it pleased according to the moment. At her hush from her now white lips, Bumblebee looked to the slumbering Jay. She too was silent, comfortable in her position against the soft grass that she rested upon. Then, he, Bumblebee, looked to the truck, "Optimus...Maybe you should do something about the girl, there."

As this was declared, the truck's engine was pronounced, and in the same manner as Bumblebee's transformation, its blue and crimson metal began to shift. It whirred in the same sense as the engines strained itself, as a larger frame had occurred in the stadium, much more immense then Bumblebee. As its tires, metal, and electrical being repositioned itself, its skin of blue shone upon the metal. Similar to Bumblebee, there stood a grand robot, reaching to a frightening height of twenty-eight feet or so, which, of course, made El even more uneasy as her lips continued to shake.

The robot, Optimus, kneeled down to the sleeping Jay. His large body hovering over her as he watched, his ample shadow looming over her, in comparison, miniscule frame. Optimus's cerulean eyes glowed in the midst of the night, set upon the tiny human before him. He shook his head, and scooped up Jay into his metal hand. She fit neatly in his palm and resumed to stand, speaking rigidly aloud, "Jasmine Alyssa Young, correct?"

Jay stirred at the name and her fists became clutched, "Do not..._ever_...call me that name...It's Jay...J.A.Y...." she muttered, her eyes forced shut with detest, though, with a groan, she lifted her head up and looked to see who had said her loathed name. She blinked, and stared, "...I have to stop eating sushi before bed..."

At this, Optimus stared. He was bewildered for an instant at her choice of words, and the processors in his head whirred diligently as he analyzed her words. He brought his free hand to his forehead, thinking over the idiocy of Jay's words. And he sighed - could giant robots sigh? Jay had to ponder that as she stared back into his large bright eyes, the glow of blue illuminating the metal that creased around the edges of the sight that anatomized her body. Optimus, now, began to speak again in his deep mechanic voice.

"Jay," he started, "This is not a figment of your thoughts. I am Optimus Prime. We are 'Autobots', autono-"

"Autonomous robotic organisms," El suddenly mouthed softly in her timid, cracking voice. She was huddled in a corner away from the immense robots, and, though she stood, she was slumped over with her arms crossed loosely like a cross over her chest, as if a pathetic way to barricade herself from the immense beings.

Both Bumblebee and Optimus shifted their heads to look at her, and immediately El recoiled back a bit further, slouching over even further then she was already positioned, continuing silence in stammers, "f-from....Cybertron. Erm...r-right?"

Her words caught them off guard for a moment, but soon Optimus answered with a nod, "That is correct," he shifted his vision back to Jay in his palm, "Jay"(he pronounced the name firmly as to make sure she would not become upset again), "We are here to make you aware of the sudden uprising of 'Mechas' on your planet and to inform you of your bloodline and current 'DNA compilation'."

At this point, Jay shrugged, and repositioned herself in the center of Optimus's hand. She whispered to herself so that it would not reach the robot's hearing sensory, "Well, Jay, it _is _only a dream. Might as well go along with it..." she cleared her throat and now spoke up, "'DNA compilation'?"

For a moment, it seemed as though hesitation had struck the two Autobots, though, Jay waited until Optimus once more spoke, the mechanics in his voice were declared a bit more roughly, "You're molecular structure is composed of the normal status of all Earth humans, but it has been modified to contain implements not found on your planet."

Again Jay stared.

Her face was twisted into a serious matter of bewilderment and her words stumbled out of her mouth clumsily, "_molecular what-what_, now...?"

This time, Bumblebee spoke up in place of his superior, "Both you and Gabriella are -- "

A burst of piercing sound exploded into the air, a high-pitched whistle as a jet zoomed through the sky. Smoke billowing behind it from the force of its engine protruded into the night. It crisscrossed above the stadium in odd patterns, its sheer force of energy advancing as its wings pressed against the chill of the night. Both El and Jay stared into the midst of the sky, entranced at metal bird that glided through the air with such intensity it did not seem possible and for a moment it didn't. El watched from the corner of the stadium, still in her shaking stance. Her eyes widened as her stomach dropped. The jet was tilting now, circling the top of the field like a vulture. It eased downward a bit, slowing on its engines for a moment, as though it were watching the beings underneath him. But...how could a jet literally see anything, for that matter? Probably the same way the truck and Camaro now stood on two legs.

There was now something anxious in Prime and Bumblebee's stance. Optimus had set Jay safely upon the ground behind him, while Bumblebee had moved in front of El, crouching partially as he and Optimus eyed the jet within the sky. Then, so unexpectedly, the jet abruptly turned downward and spiraled toward the grass of the field. Its engines screamed shrilly through the air, smoke gushing from the metal and an odd mechanical growl through its metal chest as it raced toward the ground bellow it, twisting and spiraling in the cold frost of November. Then, before it even hit the ground...

The jet was something entirely different.

It was another one. Another one of them towered over the field at a frightening thirty feet, its deep platinum jet like body glimmering strangely in the moonlight. Its deep scarlet eyes sparkled, not in the same sense as the Autobots, but in malice and loathing fashion. In a husky voice he muttered, "_Prime_."

The humans' eyes shifted to Optimus. El of course was cowering behind Bumblebee, her body shaking with unbearable tremors. When would the sudden appearances of alien robots end? The question nagged at her continuously, almost to the point that it might have made a deep puncture mark in her flesh. Jay, on the other hand, was standing just behind Optimus attempting to get a good view of the new addition to the stadium. Optimus then spoke, "Starscream. You have gained leadership of the Decepticons."

It wasn't a question.

There was a hollow laugh from the resides of Starscream's chest, "You don't miss a thing, Prime..." he hissed, his words rigid as if they were spoken through a failing radio. He leaned down a bit, his feet digging into the dirt, until he was at a crouch; his metal continuing to shine oddly. Then, in one disconcerting move as billows of smoke were regained from his now distorted engines along his body, he threw himself at Prime (and one could swear El had released an ear piercing scream).

In that fragment of time, things began to slow. Only the ripping of lustrous mechanical parts and the billowing of crackling fire emitted from cannons were pronounced through the air. Breathing, at this point, seemed insignificant compared to the three-way ravage portrayed along the crisp white lines of the football field. Masses of grass and dirt were splattered along the stadium; colliding with the shiny metal of the, for the most part, perfect bleachers. They shone for a moment, they too watching the death match, until Bumblebee had clashed against it; dismembering a decent portion of them to fragments. His engines whirred and he was back up as if it were no more then a simple game of tag. Optimus was leaned down, his arm contorted into a form of sword as he held it threateningly to Starscream, slashing it brutally to him. The Decepticon ducked and formed its mechanics and metal back into a jet, flinging himself at Optimus while his diesels pocked crinkled gray smoke into the tense atmosphere.

The battle continued as so; a series of back and forth slashes, now and again causing injury to the one of the robot's gleaming metal. In this sense, it was difficult to pursue who was winning and who was losing. This small detail utterly frightened El, but within this same time she was more concerned of her life. With a gulp, she took another look at the towering robots fight one each other in the most horrid fashion she could imagine (a piece of metal had just flown off one of them, of which, she did not know). It took a moment before she could bring her foot off the ground and dart toward Jay, her lime green robe that was still laced about her body from earlier, danced behind her as the wind stung at El's cheeks. Once reaching her location beside Jay, she tugged at her arm and shouted to her, "C'mon! We have to go!"

Jay shook her head, as though awakening from a trance. She laughed gently and looked to El, having to force herself away from the fight before her, "Are you kidding?" she muttered softly, looking back (Starscream had just had one sequence of his shoulder ripped to shreds), "It's only a dream, anyway. I'll wake up eventually. Besides, this fight is amazing."

Gawking at Jay for a moment, El, despite Jay's wishes, began tugging at her arm once again, "Dammit, it's not a dream!"

"So says you," Jay shrugged and did not flinch when a large piece of metal was chunked toward them, only to narrowly miss them by few feet, due to El pushing her to the side.

A small growl was emitted from El's lips and, forcefully, she pulled at Jay's hair with one hand, and had her other arm locked about her arm, "Dream or not, I'm not going to let you get me killed!"

Miniscule winces were punctuated out of Jay's mouth and she flung her body around to and slapped El's hands away from her body, and she immediately recoiled to Jay's satisfaction.

"Do. not. touch me..."

The words were pronounced strained, as her lips curled back in an offensive manner. She watched El (who had backed up with her eyes widened in a manner of shock).

"Y'know, both of you are sort of right," chimed a high voice from just a few feet behind Jay and El. The two turned to stare. There, sprawled along the grass with an open soda can placed in her hand, was a teenage girl; her short untidy scarlet hair swaying. Her body was adorned with gizmos and of different sorts, as wires protruded from her waist in bright colors. The outfit that was distinct along her body made it obvious what she was. Another Mecha, this one designed after an arcade game (Dance Dance Revolution). Though, it was not her body that Jay and El were staring at, but the insanity written in her blue and red eyes and the wide grin spread along her lips.

She took a casually sip from her soda and hopped to her feet, in a rather flexible manner. She then pointed to El and grin, "This one's right about the whole 'dream' thingy." (she pointed to Jay), "And_ you're _right about this battle being kick ass!"

Jay arched an eyebrow, and as if instinctively, positioned herself in front of El, "...And you are?"

"TK to you, Jasmine!" she grinned broadly and then twirled around with her arms swung out, laughing. She halted to a stop, so gracefully it made Jay wish to gag. Though, the soda can in her hand was gone, instead only a crinkled piece of aluminum in her firm fist.

Jay cringed at the name, "It's Jay, dammit... Why can't anyone get that right?"

TK laughed and dropped the distorted can to the ground and leaned to the ground, bending her knees a bit, then, as Claire had done in the city, her arms contorted themselves into cannons. Illumination began to flood at their ends, small trails of smoke beginning to float upwards from their barrels, "Don't know. Don't care."

These words were said so light and crisp, it was difficult to believe that at this point, the cannons were beaming with light and directed at Jay's body, just inches away from the flesh. She grinned manically at the girl before her and there was sudden flash of light that protruded at her frame. The light stinging at her body like needles, and engulfed her in a scent that burned her nose. Jay grimaced, her feet digging firmly into the ground and her eyes were forced shut as only the warmth of the luminosity and needles ripped at her flesh, and yet, there came no blood. No motion of death as the beam of energy faded away. For a moment, TK had grinned, but her expression fell and her eyes widened with curiosity as the skin by her eyes stretched over cheekbones in became white. El's heart swelled and stopped continuously, her breathing skidding to a halt suddenly. Jay's body felt numb, and she had lost all sensation in her frame as the frost of November took hold of her, the wind stitching her skin with throbs. Her hair swung about her face, caressing her neck and cheek in its now entirely light pink color. Faintly, Jay opened her eyes, her eyelashes frosted with faint specs of white. Her body was now in a decor of pink metal, though, it covered very view patches of her body, as the majority of her legs and torso were revealed in its tan complexion in the atmosphere of the field. Her arms, however, were covered and draped in wires and mechanics. Lifting a hand to her face, Jay stared taking in the sudden alluring machinery that embedded her body.

A grin returned to TK's lips, "Well, waddya know... Claire-sama was right," she spread her lips wide and nodded her head forward a bit as a slim helmet slid down her face, covering her expression. She spoke again, her voice slightly muffled from the metal, "And this is where I say 'adieu'!"

She did a small bow and flipped backwards onto the bleachers; quite an achievement in agility to manage it to be so graceful. At this, Jay found no enjoyment as she now brought herself back to reality. She motioned toward the direction of TK's exit, "Dammit! Get back here! I still have to have to kick your ass!"

TK only giggled and flipped backwards again till she was over the wall that bounded the stadium, vanishing into the midst of the night.

Jay glowered at the position TK had once been in, clutching her fists so that her nails dug deep into her skin. A tiny snarl was emitted from her lips, her white eyes dancing with irritation deep with the void of white. Though, as small bits of unsteady breaths were emitted from behind her (from El), she took a breath and turned her body around to look at El. She was standing there shaking, stumbled back against the grass, stunned from the sight before her. Jay shook her head with a sigh and ran a hand through her new hair glimmering in the night, and with the other, she held out a hand to El.

For a moment, she hesitated, but, figuring that if any harm would meant to come to her it would've been presented by now. And so El took her hand and stood. She averted her gaze away from the Mecha and took a gulp before speaking, "Still convinced that this is a dream?"

A small laugh was pronounced uneasily from her lips, "Not anymore...Besides, if this were one of my dreams, the giant robots would be giant bunny rabbits instead."

El looked at her oddly and arched an eyebrow, but her eyes were suddenly brought back to the giant droid death match and she shuddered. Bits of machinery flew along the field, and El shuddered, though, she blinked as Starscream formed back into a jet, its engines whirring intensely, but sputtering sadistically pieces of crackling flames and smoke. It jutted forward close along the ground, what was left of the grass winding along to the side against the wind that was performed. Another sputter of smoke was pronounced in distinct manners, and with a shrill squeal announced, it spiraled into the sky, billows of smoke swirling from its end as it faded into the chill nullity. Upon the ground, Optimus stood, straightening his immense frame as he stared back into the sky. Bumblebee was hunched along the ground, a few chunks of metal missing from his body, and yet he didn't seem to care as he lifted himself to stand, his car door like wings positioned on his back revolving upwards as he did so. They then stared back at El and Jay. In the glimmering light of the moon and luminosity that rolled off the crumpled bleachers, spread to the remainder of the stadium. Along the rubble of stone and piles of distorted dirt, back to Gabriella and Jasmine. They stood, in the light, unsure of what the two beings would bring into their life. What journey now waited for them? Only, that in some bizarre sense, they knew that the strands of time that brought them to this point were never normal.

That they had somehow always seen this coming...

That life would no longer be just 'life' anymore.


	3. Chapter Two

C h a p t e r - T w o

There, still in the stadium, each of them stood, though, it seemed as if time had halted, because, for the longest time, the only sound was the gentle rushing of wind against the ruin of the football field. Until, both Optimus and Bumblebee began to approach them once again, seeming unfazed by the horrendous battle they had previously endured.  
El watched, wanting to simply run at that point after what she had seen. Each robot trying rip the other apart limb by limb. And yet, she could not move her feet as her throat suddenly dried and her body went numb from both the vision before her and the chill of the air.

Jay stood in her spot and glanced up at the giant robots that overshadowed her. "Hey, uh, giant robot that is not a giant bunny and used to be my truck...." she paused slightly to laugh at her statement, "How do I turn back into... well, me?"

For a moment, Optimus was not sure what to say, though, he knelt down so that he was a bit closer to Jay's face. He first corrected her by saying in his deep robotic voice, "My name is Optimus Prime...As for you resuming human form..." he paused to think over the matter for a moment, "I am overall, unfamiliar with the technology you're willing at this point, however, it_ is_ similar to our own species," he stopped and leaned up a bit, debating over the matter still on how to accomplish the challenge he'd been placed with.

A small whimper was pronounced from Jay's lips. "So... I'm stuck like this?" She asked as she looked at herself in the reflection of Optimus's armor.

Bumblebee then spoke up now, turning his head from El to Jay, "He didn't say that," he retorted simply, "We' are just...unsure of the matter of organic organisms bearing machinery, meaning '_Mechas'_. You and El are part of a new species that's just recently been developed on your planet, so we don't know much about it yet."

Jay looked to El and arched an eyebrow. "Didn't your car just say the same thing my truck did? They don't know about this" (she held her arm up and examined it) "so they don't know how to get to turn back. So that means I'm stuck right? Or am I just imagining it all?" Jay asked her white eyes focused on El.

El returned Jay's gaze, and shrugged smiling uneasily, "I'm more concerned with the fact that he said I was the same thing as you..." she muttered, looking at her palm as if expecting for a mass of wires to ease out of her pores.

"Is no one concerned that I'm a freakin' half-metal freak now? And that I 'm AM STUCK LIKE THIS?" Jay muttered irritably as she crossed her metal arms, the touch on the substance send chills throughout the skin that was visible.

At her words, Optimus released a sigh (could robots sigh? apparently so). With this exhale his metal formed back into a truck before Jay, sliding his door open, while the radio pronounced Optimus's voice, "Get in. I'll explain everything to you on our way to your home."

Jay stood her ground and glared at her truck. "I will NOT go home looking like this!" she demanded with a childish pout. "You have seen how that _family_" (she said this word with a roll of her eyes and a distasteful sneer) "treats me already. They will have a damn field day with this."

There was a pause for a moment, before Optimus spoke again, "Then we will not go to your home. Where would you rather I drive you...?"

Jay looked to El a pleading look in her eyes. "Please tell me I am not going crazy and that _my _truck is asking where to take me without me having to drive..." she said in an almost whine. The information of the night seemed to have been taking a toll on her, making her confused as to what was reality and what was not.

El watched Jay for a moment, before looking up to Bumblebee, remembering how he had driven her here without even the slightest consent, "Right now...It doesn't seem entirely impossible. I mean, he did drive you here in the first place, right?"

"Um... I think so. I honestly was asleep the whole time. Last thing I remember was thinking about..." Jay trailed off and looked to Optimus. "Optimus, who where those... 'Mechas' that attacked the city earlier? Do you know?" she asked her confusion only growing.

"Omegas," Optimus answered swiftly, tuning the radio for a moment before speaking again, "The attack on the city was performed by their leader, Claire. As for the city's 'saviors', they're known as Alphas. Ironhide, our weapons specialist, has been monitoring them for some time. There are three of them. Claudia, their leader, Felicia, the medical officer, and Jacob, second in command."

"So... that was his name, huh? Jacob," Jay muttered calmly. "So that girl TK the one that left with the other giant robot. She was an Omega right?" she asked as she processed all the new knowledge.

This time, Bumblebee had answered. He nodded and began to explain, "Yes, there are four of the Omegas in total. Claire, TK, Anabella, and Afansy, but, they have joined for forces with the Decepticons, doubling their numbers."

Jay head bobbed in a nod and she looked to El who had been oddly quite. "You okay? You look a little pale," she muttered as she took a step toward El.

El lifted her head, and smiled uneasily, "One is the obvious fact that there's giant alien robots...Two, I'm apparently some sort of half machine half human...thing. And three...It's friggin freezing," she moaned in complaint.

Jay tilted her head. "I honestly didn't realize it was cold," she said simply and then smiled to El. "You should head home, I think you've had a little too much of an adventure for a high school student."

"And what about you?" El then asked, while during her statement Bumblebee went Camaro once again in agreement to Jay's request of returning home, "You're just going to stay here?"

"It won't be any different than what I've done before," Jay said, simply shrugging. "I just won't be actually going home until I can figure out how to be... me again."

El made a sigh and took one step toward Bumblebee, before halting once more and looking back to Jay, "Then...how about at _my_ home?"

"I wouldn't want to bother you," Jay said meekly as she began to walk toward Optimus. "I'm sure Optimus won't mind me sleeping in here again. It hasn't bothered him before."

"But you can't just be on the run," muttered El as she now walked toward Jay, and grabbed her arm, but then recoiled back for a moment at the sudden singe of cold metal. She shook it off and began to speak again, looking up to Jay, "It won't be bother, I swear, and if you leave I'll feel guilty."

"You sure it wouldn't bother you to have me, a complete stranger, stay in your house?" Jay asked laughing slightly.

"Well...We're not much of strangers anymore, really, but if you want an introduction," El held out her hand and smiled, "Gabriella Dellon, former Witwicky, but I prefer 'El'."

Jay smiled slightly and hesitantly took El's hand. "Jay. If you couldn't tell, don't really like my name so I'm just Jay," she said meekly. Jay had never been much of a 'people person' so this simple experience was much like if she had gone to a new country.

El's smile broadened slightly, satisfied with this introduction, "All right, Jay," she said simply, before releasing Jay's chilled hand, "Now, would you like to have a nice warm bed to sleep in? Or do you prefer your truck?" she joked, smiling uneasily to Optimus, "No offense intended," she said softly.

"Well, it has actually been a while since I've actually slept in a bed," Jay muttered looking to the ground with a heavy sigh. She then glanced to Optimus, "And it must be rather annoying having to keep me warm all night. So I suppose I'll take you up on your offer."

"Thought so," El declared, her smile light and sincere, however, her pleasure was interrupted by the sudden impatient revving of Bumblebee's engine.

Jay looked over to Bumblebee and arched an eyebrow. "He always so impatient?" she asked shivering as the metal that covered her arms touched her tanned skin.

"I'm not exactly sure. Until tonight, I never knew he was even 'alive'," El laughed uneasily at this thought, taking a few steps toward Bumblebee.

"I always had a strange feeling that there was something odd about my truck. Guess I was right, huh?" Jay said jokingly as a smile crossed her lips. It soon faded as she looked back to the metal that covered her, and soon a sigh escaped her lips.

At this, El had turned her head back to Jay, and leaned against the side of the Camaro. Her expression fell for a moment, though, she regained her composure and stated hopefully, "Don't worry. It can't possibly be permanent."

"It's not that I'm worried it's permanent. I'm already a loner and considered a freak by my 'parents' and this would just give them more reason to pay attention to their real kids and shun me," Jay muttered as she stood next to the open door to Optimus's truck form.

"So...you're adopted too," El muttered, rather quietly, lifting her chin up a bit to her, before staring off to the ground.

"Too? So I'm guessing you don't fit in with your family either." Jay laughed slightly, "We're more alike than I thought."

El looked up to her and smiled then leaned her head against the yellow metal of the Camaro, "Well, my parents...They're okay, but...sometimes I feel they're more intrigued in their work then with me. They're scientists who work for the government. As for my original parents, well, I'm not really sure. They died in some sort of accident, is all I really know."

"I have no clue about my real parents, not even how they died. Just that I had them and now I don't," Jay said climbing into the cab of the truck before her after he revved his engine in a way to tell her to hurry.

El laughed gently, "...What is it with these alien cars being in such a rush?" At this, Bumblebee revved his engine in irritation, as he shoved his car door open.

"Maybe in space there is no such thing as patience," Jay muttered and rolled her eyes. "But I need to go and sneak into my house and get a few things that I cannot live without. I suppose Optimus already knows where you live seeing as his comrade it _your _car. So I'll get there somehow."

El nodded, "Sure. Just, when you come in, try to avoid my parents. Come on my balcony on the second floor," she stated simply.

"Got'cha," Jay muttered before her door slammed and Optimus's wheels spun sending the two forward into the night.

At this El, made a small laugh, before turning to look back at Bumblebee, debating whether or not she should go in, and so she asked as she leaned down before him, clutching onto the car door, "You aren't going to shove me in and lock the doors again, are you?"

Bumblebee simply revved his engine again and jerked forward an inch or so. "Only if you don't hurry and get in," he said through his radio speakers.

El shook her and stifled a small laugh, before sliding herself onto the leather seats with a sigh, as the door slammed shut behind her. The Camaro revved its engine and raced off to El's home, where she would wait for Jay to arrive and take refuge at her house.

- - -

Jay sat wide-awake on the upper corner of El's bed leaned against the wall. She clutched onto a blanket around her as she stared into space. He mind was whizzing with thoughts of what had happened the night before. These thoughts resulted in Jay not being able to sleep comfortably. She still hadn't learned how to regain her human self so the metal that plagued her skin was still glistening in the pale light. Jay let out a heavy sigh and leaned her head against the wall careful not to puncture it as she had almost done before due to a strange new bout of immense strength that filled her.

Along the bed a gentle breathing was pronounced, with the blankets kicked off most of her tiny figure, El's body was sprawled along the bed, her short black hair brushed against her cheeks in an unkempt manner. She still kept her same clothes from last night with her green fluffy robe draped loosely along her frame. For a moment, she did not stir, though at sudden shift of her body the light of the sun crept through her gentle white drapes, the luminosity gleaming onto her face. Her eyes squinted and a moan escaped her lips. She yawned gently, her eyes shut for a moment as she muttered, "...crazy dream..." She lifted her head up, glowering at the sun. Again, she yawned and lifted her body up, rubbing her eyes, then set her hands down to her side, opening her eyes. Her heart jumped a beat and she squealed quietly at the sight of Jay, not quite expecting her to be at the end of her bed, as she backed up to the edge of her bed, "...a-all right...So maybe it wasn't a dream," she whispered to herself, before looking back to Jay, "Er...Not that I really care, but what are you doing in here? You're room across the hall, remember...?"

"I couldn't sleep. So I was just trying to take the little kid approach and stay in here. But it didn't help much either," Jay said as she hid the metal on her body the best she could. "I honestly didn't get a wink of sleep last night..."

El repositioned herself upon the bed, closing her robe across her soft breasts. She rubbed her eyes, "Oh, all right..." she muttered, a bit uneasy still, "...Y'know, you don't have to cover up that armor in front of me."

"I know... But it makes me feel better about it," murmured Jay. She sighed heavily and relaxed a little as she let out a long yawn.

"Maybe you should try to sleep again," El suggested, a bit concerned after she had heard the yawn emitted from Jay's lips, "I can fix you up something to eat that'll put you to bed easily, if you want."

"I've tried countless times, but I just can't. There're too many things going through my head right now for me to be able to relax and sleep," Jay muttered pulling her knees up to her chest hugging them.

El let out a sigh and then approached Jay at the edge of the bed, leaning over a bit, staring at the metal that embedded her skin, before looking to Jay directly, "This...may seem bizarre, but what temperature do you normally run?"

"Around 91.2 degrees, why?" asked Jay looking at El tilting her head slightly.

El smiled lightly, "...Because, that's the exact temperature I run," she laughed gently, "I've had appointments with doctors and once they figure out my temperature, they always think I'm going to die a week later, but I guess this whole 'Mecha' thing finally explains it, huh?"

"I suppose, but y'know it's finally nice to meet someone who actually has stuff in common with me," Jay said smiling at El. "I've always wanted a little sister."

At this, El's face brightened like a small child, and she nodded with an honest innocence about her smile, "That makes two of us...er, 'big sis'," she muttered, laughing gently at the term.

Jay's smile brightened as she watched El. She then lifted her hand and stared at it. "I wonder what the other Mechas, the good ones, are like," she muttered looking up to the ceiling her white eyes filled with wonder.

El sighed a bit at this and crossed her legs, and with bewilderment, she trailed her finger down the side of Jay's metal arm as she muttered softly, "Well, I'd think we'd find out eventually. Now that we're one of them, well, you are anyway, but I'm apparently bound to follow."

Jay laughed slightly as El said this. "I suppose. I'm rather eager to find out more about this Jacob..." she said resting her chin on her knee.

At the name El cringed and shook her head faintly, her finger running along the wire about Jay's upper arm, "...He's probably just an ordinary guy. He doesn't seem so special."

Jay shrugged slightly and closed her eyes. "Who knows. But those Mechas, yesterday in the city. They were amazing. I'd never seen anything more powerful, or at least until last night with the 'giant robots that weren't giant bunnies'."

A small laugh was emitted El's lips and she stared at the armor still that engulfed Jay's body, the shimmering pink, glossy against her hair, "and now you're one of them..."

"Yeah, but I'm nowhere near as strong yet. They were in complete control of everything. Every aspect of their power. I can't even turn back," Jay said, muttering the last part irritably.

"Maybe Optimus and Bumblebee can help," El suggested softly, "Mechas _are_ part of their own technology, just with a human touch."

"But, maybe I can't turn back until something special happens," Jay said simply thinking out loud. "Maybe when we meet the other Mechas they can help."

El tilted her head now, "Where would they be, though?"

"How should I know? I'm just trying to make myself feel better about this whole half metal freak thing." Jay let out a heavy sigh. She then laughed slightly, "I don't think I've ever talked with anyone this much before in my entire life."

El laughed timidly at this matter, her strokes of black hair dancing at her cheeks, "Neither have I. I'm sort of considered the school nerd...'nuff said..."

"Well... I never actually got to finish school, and so I've been pretty much a loner ever since I went to stay with my _family_," Jay said meekly. She laughed slightly uneasily, "I haven't had much social interaction at all so I'm surprised I'm even able to talk so comfortably now."

El grinned, "You're surprisingly easy to talk to you, yourself..." she muttered, and after a pause she looked back up to Jay, "So, how'd you manage to own a large semi truck like Optimus, anyway?"

"It's for my job. My 'parents' forced me to get one and I'm stuck delivering food for a catering business," said Jay with a shrug. "I guess I should call in. I can't really go to work like this. And I was supposed to train the new guy and show him the ropes."

A small chortle was produced from El's lips, "Feel free to use my phone over there," she said simply as she now got herself off the bed and wandered to the closed glass doors leading to the balcony. She clutched the drapes and pulled them back slightly to see the usual golden Camaro in its usual stance in the driveway supposedly sleeping. She laughed gently and looked back to Jay, "catering, huh?" she muttered softly, in an attempt to make conversation, "I got Bumblebee through inheritance." (she laughed), "Instead of money for school they give me a giant alien robot..."

"Hey that works I guess," Jay said as she laid out on El's bed, exhaustion filling her.

El sighed and smiled a bit, turning around entirely now, as she shut the drapes behind her to block the sunlight, "I suppose," she muttered, but then took a breath and smiled, "Whaddya say we search for these Alph's today...?"

Jay held no answer to this question as this conversation had served as just enough of a distraction from her hectic thoughts to let her lose consciousness momentarily. As Jay slept her body subtly changed into its original state. All the metal and visible skin returning to the clothes and scarred skin that it once held.

At this, El had stared, watching from across the room. For a moment, she could not breath, merely entranced by the transformation. Bits of illumination fell from the drapes and upon Jay's body, where the metal no longer shined and instead the complexion of her exotic skin. El straightened her body and smiled, whispering gently to the sleeping Jay, "...I guess there really is no need now..."

---

Jacob sat lounged out in a reclining chair. The metal on his body was gone and replaced with simple flesh and clothing. His white eyes gazed at the ceiling as his short hair, now tipped in a deep pink that was almost red, brushed his forehead. His mind was swimming with thoughts of the previous days. With the visions of the girl that stared so intently at him. The thoughts of the one and only Jasmine Alyssa Young.

Strolling into the room with a small PDA in her hand, Claudia's face was one of a serious tone as she punched letters and numbers into the small device in her hand. As she walked casually through the room, her now human body was douse in usual clothing and her currently pitch black hair swaying behind her in loose curls. She then lifted her head as her eyes caught sight of Jacob, "...Shouldn't you be tracking the Omegas?"

"Nah. We have nothing to worry about now," Jacob said simply as he shrugged. A playful smirk was spread across his lips as he looked to Claudia.

Claudia groaned gently at this and punched a few more numbers into her PDA, "How you ever got a higher ranking then Felicia I'll never know..." she shuddered and shook her head, irritated.

"Because I can actually fight; though she has her uses too, I guess," Jacob said smugly, his smirk never fading.

"You are hopeless," murmured Claudia as she took a seat upon the scarlet couch opposite from Jacob, "I honestly don't understand you, sometimes, Jacob and what is this sudden fascination you have, lately? I'm assuming it's something...You seem more conserved since that meeting with Claire yesterday."

"A new Mecha that's what," Jacob said clearly his smirk growing.

Claudia lifted her head at the word. She stared intently at Jacob and she lifted an eyebrow, "Felicia's been picking up similar readings as well. Do you have any information on them? Name? Gender? Blood type?"

"Jasmine Alyssa Young. Female. O," Jacob said simply as if these bits of information had been known for years. "She's eighteen almost nineteen. Birthday May twenty-fifth. Height 5'4". Weight 115 lbs. Do I need to tell you her hair and eye color too?" he asked with a smirk.

Claudia shook her head at this, her black hair swaying, "We'll be able to find her by her molecular compilation. This Jasmine shouldn't be too hard to find, especially in this city. So, did you manage to find her location?"

"No. She was staying with a family just outside of the city, but she's left there for some reason," Jacob said his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"You mean like you ditched your family?" Claudia then brought up, looking back to her PDA as she dialed in the information she had been given for this new Mecha.

Jacob cringed and glared at Claudia. "Now, there was no reason to bring that up," he muttered grumbling.

Claudia looked up to him and shook her head, "Fine. I'll keep quiet, but I'd like you to stop daydreaming about this girl and let Felicia and I handle it, while you continue to track down Claire."

"Hey, I'm not daydreaming about her," Jacob said defensively. "You make it sound like she's a long lost lover or something, damn."

A small laugh was emitted from her lips, "That's because you _are_ making it seem like that..."

"Well it's not like that, sheesh," Jacob muttered rolling his eyes. He then muttered something under his breath about family or something along those lines.

"Then how is it like?" Claudia then asked, leaning over as she cross her legs.

"That is for me to know and you not to find out," Jacob said smirking at Claudia.

At this, Claudia grimaced and stood, clutching her PDA, "You know...You're not worth my energy. I have to go and find this Jasmine."

Jacob stood as well and smirked brightly at Claudia stepping closer to her. "You know you don't mean that," he said in a smooth, melodic tone.

Claudia rolled her eyes and stretched out her arm, placing her hand on his face, "Just stop it, Jacob...I don't want to deal with you, today. I have a Mecha to find."

Jacob just smirked and brought his hand up to her arm gently running his fingers down her arm. "But, Claudia, you have no choice but to deal with me. Second in Command, remember?" he muttered and then took Claudia's hand from his face and gently held it smirking.

A groan of detest and loathing was pronounced from her lips as Claudia's arm (the one in which Jacob held) formed into a cannon of one sort. It started at her elbow and ran to where the nibs of her fingers used to be, while the remainder of her body was still set as 'human'. Beams of illumination began to be loaded at the edge of her limb/gun as she looked to Jacob seriously, "I've already shot you twice this week, Jacob...Do I honestly have to do it again?"

"Well, third times a charm," Jacob said cockily, as he grinned at Claudia.

Claudia scowled gently at him and groaned, pulling back her arm to her side as it resumed its usual human physique. She then lifted her head at the sound of footsteps. Felicia had entered. There she stood, rather confused for a moment (and rather human as well) before speaking, as her short chestnut hair swayed at the sighed of her face, "I hope I'm not intruding."

Jacob's grin widened as he pranced over to Felicia and seized both her hands into his. "Felicia! You aren't interrupting anything," he said in a melodic, yet seductive tone, as he leaned in his face less than a foot away form the petite Felicia's.

Felicia blinked and stared at him strangely, raising both her eyebrows in silence, though, her attention was then thrown to the PDA that smashed suddenly against the back of Jacob's head.

Jacob instantly let go of Felicia and grabbed the back of his head. "What the hell was that for Claudia?!" he asked his head throbbing.

Claudia could not help but smile lightly at this, "For giving me some amusement..._First _in command, remember?" she mocked simply as she now straightened herself.

Jacob growled slightly and stalked back to his chair and sat down. "Fine... be that way," he murmured and glared at the wall.

At this, Claudia felt a tone of satisfaction fill her body, as she then turned to Felicia and answered her earlier question, "No, you are not intruding. What is it, Felicia?"  
Felicia strolled across the room to a small computer positioned on the desk and took a seat, pulling a cord from her pocket and connecting it the machine before her, while pulling the other hand in her palm, "I've found the precise location of the Mecha we've been sensing. I heard Jacob title her as 'Jasmine', I believe."

"You've found her?" Jacob asked his mood lighting up slightly, as his usual cocky grin returned to him lips.

Felicia nodded, her eyes focused upon the monitor that now sprung to life as Felicia clutched the end of the cord now in her fist. She closed her eyes for a moment then reopened them the same moment the screen went to a small map of the state they resided in. It began to zoom in to a particular location as Felicia began to speak, "Yes, she resides with an inactive Mecha twenty miles from here."  
"Who is the inactivated Mecha?" Claudia questioned, now standing over Felicia and watching the screen as it now narrowed in on a particularly large house (or possibly a mansion would be a better term), and area began to blink red.  
"The inactive Mecha is known as Gabriella Dellon; though, I did not find much on her until I discovered her former family name before she was adopted. At birth, her name had been Gabriella Witwicky," Felicia explained, the words flowing swiftly from her lips.

"Witwicky? Wasn't that the name of the boy that saved the world from the evil robots?" Jacob asked, as he took a spot behind Claudia resting his head on her shoulder as he looked at the screen.

Felicia nodded once more, "Yes. His daughter apparently, but he and his wife passed away over five years ago, now. Gabriella was put up for adoption and is now with the Dellon family and, surprisingly, she received one of these robots through inheritance. It is, of course, disguised as a human automobile, but, I was able to recognize the technology for more then just a car."  
"What do the two of you suggest we do with these two, then?" Claudia now spoke, her voice soft, as she ignored Jacob along her shoulder.

"I say we go get them and have them join us before the Omegas do," Jacob said sneaking his hands onto Claudia's waist. "We could use a few more pretty faces around here." Jacob smirked widely as he spoke these words.

At the touch, Claudia grimaced and quickly jabbed her elbow against Jacob's rigid stomach, "Keep your tongue in your mouth, Jacob..."

Jacob instantly recoiled and clutched his stomach. "Why are you so abusive? And it really hurts when you hit...." he said in a small pout.

"Like I said...tongue in mouth, please," Claudia responded coolly. She now straightened her frame again and began to stroll from the room, though stopped short before she had left, "We leave in an hour and Jacob...please - for me - behave yourself."

An 'innocent' grin crossed Jacob's lips. "When do I ever not behave?" he asked with a small wink in Claudia's direction.

Claudia shuddered at the action, and hurriedly, at this point, left the room.  
At this, Felicia looked from the monitor to Jacob before muttering, "...I'm leaving, too..." she unplugged the small cord (the monitor going blank) and stuffed into her pocket and stood, motioning to exit as well. She did not once wish to be alone with Jacob, dreading the consequences were they the only two left.

Jacob blinked and let out a small pout. "No one loves me anymore... They're all going to leave me," he muttered but then smirked. "Jay and El will surely give me a little attention when we find them."

---

Along the city, the tracking had been set along the city for this one particular Mecha; sensors going haywire due to the particular focusing. Still, this did not interfere with ordinary life, or how ordinary it could possibly be with the new technology that had been discovered. The illumination of the sun rose into the sky, pacing slowly till it hit the afternoon as the rays of heat blanketed the city and people within it. The golden Camaro came to halt upon the driveway, a small squeal emitted from underneath its rigid tires as its engine purred to silence. With the door opening without need of human assistance, El exited as she positioned her bag along her shoulder and shut the door behind her in silence. She looked up to her balcony, perched high against the building as the radiance of the sun shone along the white stone. Lifting her chin up a bit, El strolled casually into her house with no interaction with her parents as she continued to her bedroom to find Jay still sprawled along her bed in slumber. El laughed gently and chunked her bag upon the floor and positioned herself at her desk to begin this evening's homework assignments.

Jay stirred slightly as she rolled over to her side so she was facing away from El. She let out a small groan as her peaceful sleep began to break and consciousness began to resurface; yet Jay wasn't quite ready to let it fade completely just yet.

At this, El looked over her shoulder from the laptop she worked upon. She gave a small sigh and stood, strolling over to Jay simply. She leaned over and poked her shoulder with curiosity, staring at Jay and tilting her head, "You awake in there...?"

"Unwillingly...." Jay stated simply as she grabbed a pillow and pulled in over her eyes, letting out a tired groan.

El smiled and laughed gently, "I'm guessing you haven't looked at the mirror yet, huh?"

"How could I? I've been dead since... Wait when did I fall asleep?" Jay asked as she sat up rubbing her eyes and yawning gently.

"Long enough for me to go to school and back," El retorted, sitting now at the edge of the bed and she messed with her undone tie around her neck.

"Oh... Wow. I must have been tired. But... Why do I need to look in a mirror? Did I drool or something?" Jay asked as she stood up stretching out as she did so.

El merely grinned at her words, her expression brightening, "No, no - nothing like that," she began and stood from the bed hurrying to her dresser and rummaging through its belongings until she pulled out a scarlet mirror. She then resumed her spot upon the bed and held up the mirror to Jay with a smile.

Jay arched an eyebrow and took the mirror looking intently at her reflection. "I'm me again!" she exclaimed happily, but then she pouted softly. "That means I have to go home now that I'm human again."

El pulled the mirror back now into her lap and nodded faintly, "Er...yah. I guess you can go home. I mean, if you want," she muttered awkwardly, not taking this part into consideration as she ran a hand timidly through her hair.

"Do you not want me to go home or something? Cause I would gladly stay here," Jay said smiling at El. "I'm eighteen. I mean I'm old enough to leave my _family _legally."

El looked to the side for a moment, but then back to Jay, a smile creeping to her lips, "Well, I wasn't suggesting that, but it_ is_ a bit lonely around here. So, you prefer to stay with someone you've known for barely a day?"

"El, I feel like I know you better than I know that thing I'm forced to call a brother just because my 'parents' actually had him," Jay said smiling. "So I really would rather stay here than go there."

El's expression once more brightened, and she would have gone out for an embrace, but she preferred not to let Jay feel awkward. Instead she simply said, with a wide grin, "Thank you, Jay."

Jay grinned as well and held her middle and index finger in the shape of a 'v'. "Any time, El."

A sudden whirring was then pronounced in a high squeal just outside El's balcony window. El grimaced at the sound, now staring at the glass doors that separated her room for the outside, "...Do you hear that?"

Jay blinked and tilted her head as she stood and walked over to the balcony, moving the drapes aside to give her easier access to view the balcony. Jay's eyes widened and she let out a small yelp as she shot from the balcony and behind El as a large boom sounded from outside.

At the sudden pronouncement that echoed against the walls, waving against the room as a small vibration was felt at the same moment of this 'boom'. Within the same moment it was punctuated along the atmosphere, it had vanished. At this El stood speechless her hands loose and shaking at her sides. Her throat was dry as she watched the drifting white drapes as the wind brushed against the material, "...what...was that?" she stammered, in an almost inaudible manner, quivering upon the matter.

"I'm not sure. It looked kinda like a bomb. Sounded like it too," Jay murmured her breathing heavy as she stared at the once perfect balcony.

El debated whether to step forward or not, but, she soon ceased her movement as a voice was pronounced through the dancing drapes, "Jacob...I _said _inconspicuously! Not blow up her house!"

"That _was _inconspicuous, Claudia," answered another, yet cocky, voice.  
Jay blinked and stepped toward the balcony. "Um... Don't think it was a bomb..."

El, however, had stayed put by her bed, clutching the end of her bed as she stood, the gentle wood still not calming her stature as she watched a small Mecha emerge from behind the drapes. One, based upon a computer mouse - Felicia. Looking up with her large lavender eyes, her eyelashes fluttering from the sun that peaked from the now exposed outdoors and balcony, which was now presented as a small 'cliff' of rigid stone, rather then a balcony at this point. Felicia clutched the fabric of the drapery and looked from Jay to El, then over her shoulder to two other figures just beyond sight, "On a positive note...both Mechas have been located - active and non."  
Claudia followed behind Felicia at this point, taking her place beside her. She looked to both Jay and El, her armor shining in the illumination of the sparkling sun. She then bowed deeply, her hair sliding off her back and shoulders. Claudia then lifted her head partially, her body still arched toward the ground, "I apologize for the destruction of your balcony. I am Claudia, leader of the Alphas." she then motioned her head toward Felicia, "And this is our medical officer, Felicia." (Felicia curtseyed slightly), "And the destroyer of your balcony would be Jacob, second in command. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. We'll fix it as soon as possible."

"Claudia, I didn't mean to destroy the balcony so just drop it," Jacob muttered as he walked into the room grinning cockily his armor a bit scuffed from the collision, yet still shimmering. He looked to Jay and El his grin growing.  
Jay tensed as she saw Jacob, a sense of familiarity about him. "Whoa, dude, no need to be thinking things like that about El," she muttered glaring at Jacob, not realizing her own words.

At this, they each stared at Jay for a moment, analyzing her words. However, Jacob seemed amused upon this matter and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, and brought a finger to his temple, "Figures...Twin telepathy, of all things. That's just not fair... and you can think of better ways to torment me then _that,_ Jasmine."

Jay cringed as she heard her name. "Don't call me that," she threatened her eyes narrowing. "And what do you mean 'twin telepathy'?" Jay asked in confusion as she started at Jacob.

Jacob laughed gently and muttered firmly, "Oh nothing, nothing at all."  
Felicia then looked from Jacob to Jay, "...Jacob Alex Young...Jasmine Alyssa Young," she muttered gently as she put together the words, "...of course...I should've been able to match the DNA analysis, as well."

Jay looked to Felicia and arched an eyebrow. She then shook her head and returned to glaring at Jacob.

However, Claudia was piecing together then information. She too now glowered upon Jacob, motioning toward Jay, "Jacob...Is _this _the sister you've always told everyone was dead?"

"Yeah. Guess she's not dead, after all," Jacob said grinning at Jay. He then looked to Claudia and smirked. "Didn't you even begin to wonder how I knew so much about her?"

Claudia simply raised her eyebrows and looked back to Jay as if to analyze her every feature, "I actually thought you were doing your research for once..." she muttered, but then groaned.

"And I would've thought you would think it was odd she had my birthday and age, as well. You're slipping Claudia," Jacob said as he slinked over to Claudia gently sneaking his arm around her waist.

At this motion, Claudia glowered upon him, "Don't make me shoot you again..." she muttered.

Jay glared at Jacob as he did this. "Oh please let me. That mind of his is driving me up the wall. Is there anyway to turn it off? Permanently?" she said as her glare grew, the tidbit of information she'd received not sinking in yet.

Claudia then shoved Jacob's body from her, her hand set dangerously close to Jacob's neck, "Believe me, many have tried," she said, taking a step away from Jacob.  
As this incident continued, El stood by her bed still, the death grip upon her the wood of her bed dangerously close to snapping the material, as she looked to Jacob as her heart sank in a hush.

Jacob looked to El and flashed her a cocky grin. "Long time no see, El, huh?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, only to have Jay step in between the two.

Both Claudia and Felicia stared intently to this action, wondering when Jacob's little reunions would end. El, however, now cowered behind Jay, moving her hands so they were now set against Jay's back, entangled in the long pink hair. Her heart sank a bit at the very sound of Jacob's voice, as she rested her head against Jay, secreting herself.

"Stay away from her, Jacob," Jay threatened. "You may be my brother, but I'm gonna let you near her again." Jay growled slightly her white eyes seeming to flicker with rage as memories of her past returned to her.

At this, both Claudia and Felicia shifted their eyes from the cowering El to Jacob. Specifically Claudia as she narrowed her eyes firmly upon Jacob, " '_again_'...?"  
Jacob looked back and merely shrugged with a small grin plastered to his lips.

"Jacob don't you dare play it off like nothing happened," Jay said threateningly as she glared at Jacob just daring him to come closer to the two.

"Would you stop invading my mind, already?" muttered Jacob, raising his eyebrows, looking back to Jay, "Damn telepathy...And I didn't say 'nothing' happened."

"And I'm not _invading _your mind. You're the one thinking loud enough for the whole damn world to hear," Jay muttered her hands clenched into fists.

"Not the 'whole damn world', _Jasmine_. Only you, apparently, so quite the eavesdropping," Jacob stated simply, now looking down at her from under his strands of black and startling reddish pink hair.

"Don't call me _'Jasmine' _you of all people should know that I don't like being called that," Jay muttered cringing at the name. "And you're one to talk, I'm sure you've heard every thought I've had since you walked into this room."

"But I haven't yelled them out to the world, have I?" retorted Jacob, tilting his head a bit as his hair swayed against his cheeks at the action.

"I'm sure you would if you could," Jay muttered, her eyes locked with her brother's.

"_But I'm not_," Jacob declared then, taking a step toward Jay so that he now had to tilted his head down a bit more to match Jay's piercing gaze.

Jay growled slightly and raised her hand to Jacob's neck, yet instead of her long slender fingers, there was a shimmering cannon that began to glow as it touched Jacob's chin. "I don't know how I managed that, but I can work with it. Back down or I will blow your head off, brother dearest."

Jacob merely grinned upon this matter as the cold metal caressed his skin. A moment later, Jacob's hand was pressed against Jay's stomach as it formed into his own form of cannon, as he said playfully "Cool it, huh? How about a truce?"

Jay let out a frustrated growl and reluctantly pulled her hand from Jacob's chin, but kept her cannon pointed toward him. "Just keep those thoughts of yours as thoughts and we have a truce," she muttered her eyes still locked with Jacob's.

Jacob paused for a moment before answering, pulling his arm to his side as his arm formed back into its usual human limb. He then looked from El, grinning partially, before looking back to Jay, "Isn't that up to El?"  
At this manner, El cringed, still resting her head against Jay's back; however, she clutched her hand nervously around a few strands of Jay's hair, being careful not to pull at it with her timid hands.

"I'd think her actions would be good enough," Jay said simply as she reached behind her with her arm, which too was back to its normal state, and gently clutched onto El's arm. "I thought all those memories before the fire were gone, but thanks to you" (she glared at her brother) "they came back."

At this point Claudia had her hand clutched about the back of Jacob's head as her eyes were narrowed in a scowl, "What, in the world, have you done _this time_, Jacob...?"

Jacob winced slightly and glanced back to Claudia, grinning still. "This was all in the past and it should be kept like that."

"It's not 'past' anymore, once its been brought up and argued about," Claudia responded simply, "Now what have you _done_?"  
Before Jacob could respond, El spoke up quietly from behind Jay, her voice shaking a bit as the words were presented through the tensed atmosphere, "Jacob and I...Before his 'accident', back when he wasn't part of your team...We used to be an item," she muttered, though, grimaced at the word 'item', "But once he was a...'Mecha', he had left me, because I was merely 'human'..."

"And now I'm assuming that he knows she a Mecha, so he's going to try and get back with her," Jay muttered glaring at Jacob. "If I know my brother like I hope I do. But then again, why should I know him since he's ditched me for the past few years."

Jacob took this to offense at this point, "What? I honestly thought that fire killed you off!" he defended himself.

"You didn't even think to try and see if I really _was _dead?" Jay asked offended herself.

"No one survived that fire, Jasmine! Why would I even think you did as well?" Jacob instantly retorted.

"Because of that little assumption I've had to live with a family that made it seem like I didn't exist or matter," Jay muttered her voice cracking slightly. "You need to learn what the say about assumptions."

"Yah, I'm sure," muttered Jacob a bit too quickly, though, his voice was low as it was more of a comment to someone unseen, he then lifted his head and smirked, "But asses aside..." he then trailed off to the sound of a revving engine just outside, positioned under the ruined balcony along the lawn.

"El, I think your car came to the rescue," Jay muttered her voice now clear once more. She looked from Jacob to the ruined balcony as Bumblebee appeared in full robot form, peering into the window.

At this El made a small groan, having nearly forgotten her alien Camaro that had been parked along her driveway during all the commotion. Hesitantly, she released her body from Jay and quickly shoved her way passed Jacob, being careful to not even take a glance upon him. She reached the window and opened it, leaning forward out of it and upon Bumblebee, "What...what are you doing?" she stammered, still a bit shaken from the entire Jacob incident, as she rubbed her eye with one hand, "_Someone can see you_."

"What destroyed your balcony?" Bumblebee asked ignoring El's statement. He glanced past her and at the group with in the room, tilting his head slightly.

El was in a hush as she then looked toward the direction Bumblebee glanced at. At the sight of Jacob and his cocky grin, she shuddered, "No one that's even worth mentioning," she muttered quietly, then looking back to Bumblebee as she crossed her arms upon the windowsill and rested her head there.

"El, are you okay?" Bumblebee asked, talking note of her odd behavior.  
A nod was declared from El's actions, as she shifted her vision to the side being able to spot Jacob from the corner of her eye, "Yah, just had an inconvenient blast from the past."

Jay shot Jacob as glare she pushed past him as well. "There is no need to worry, Bumblebee, the people who caused all the commotion are friends. One of them just got a little careless," she muttered glancing back to her brother.

El then looked back and forth from Jacob to Bumblebee, and a devilish idea crossed her mind. After all, how well could a small Mecha be able to manage against a seventeen-foot robot? El, then spoke up, her eyesight along Bumblebee, as she smiled lightly, "Hey, Bumble.… can you-"  
She was then cut off by Felicia's sudden words, "I've just detected a Mecha in the distance and she, I believe, is not on our side."

Jacob grinned, "Where's she at? I could use a little stress relief after this wonderful little reunion."

"The south side of the city. Not an Omega, but she is in a class of her own and possibly just as dangerous," Felicia remarked coolly.

Jay thought for a minute over the possibilities of where the Mecha could be. "Where _exactly_ is she at?" she asked tilting her head and looking to Felicia.

Felicia concentrated along this matter for a moment before answering, "South part of the city, running down Jade Avenue to the corner of Eastway and Broak."

"That's around where I work..." Jay muttered to herself and then side heavily. "I can't very well have my source of money destroyed. So, uh, since I'm new at this how do I willingly turn into a Mecha?"

At this, Claudia was first to respond, taking a step toward Jay and began to explain, her voice smooth as silk as the words were pronounced, "You have to visualize it in your mind. The Mecha gene is linked to the visual part of the mind. To activate the gene, you must imagine your body changing and picture it clearly in your head," she held up her hand to demonstrate, it formed into a cannon and glowed at the edges, and then returned it back to its usual human like limb.

Jay nodded and closed her eyes to make visualizing what she wanted to do much easier. With in a few moments Jay's body began to change until she was once more in her Nintendo DS based armor. Jay opened her eyes and grinned. "This is so cool," she muttered looking herself over.

Upon this remark, both Claudia and Felicia smiled with a gentle laugh, however, Jacob held a cocky grin once again as he looked at the dazzling pink armor that was adorned along Jay's skin, "Figures it'd be so revealing," he noted as he leaned again El's dresser, "Don't you feel a bit of draft?"

Jay looked to Jacob and glared at him. "You better watch your mouth, Jacob," she murmured pointing her arm at Jacob forming it into a cannon. "You seem to forget I'm a fast learner."

"Yah, yah. Now put that thing away before you shoot your eye out," Jacob remarked with a shrug, now straightening his body.

Jay rolled her eyes and looked to Claudia and Felicia. "Can we just hurry and leave before you end up with one less member?" Jay asked shooting her brother a glare.

Claudia instantly nodded upon this, "Yes, we should be on our way. This, Jay, will be quite a good practice for you," she smiled now and made her way outside to the edge of the balcony, Felicia at her side.  
El now looked up at Jay, sitting at the window's edge, "So, I guess I'm stuck here alone, huh?" she remarked softly, with an uneasy laugh.

"Well, you'd kinda be in the way, but don't worry I'll come back when we're through," Jay said smiling at El.

"Figured as much. I'd say 'don't kill yourself', but I wouldn't think there'd be need to worry," El retorted with a mutter and slunk down so she sitting with her head rested against the windowsill. She sighed lightly and looked to Bumblebee from over her shoulder and out the window, "Guess it's just you and me, Bumble."

"Actually," Bumblebee began, "Optimus ordered me to investigate these Mechas, so I have to go too."

At this El's expression fell and she stood once again and leaned out the window to look at Bumblebee with her clearly offended expression, "You're leaving me, _too?_" a moan then escaped her lips as she slunk back to her knees with one of her arms bent along the window sill, while the other dangled out the side into the outside air. She tilted her head and lied it upon the windowsill, with disappointment written along her chocolate eyes, "Why's everyone have to just go and leave me behind today...?""

Jay looked to El and laughed slightly. "El, don't worry. I'll finish off this Mecha soon and be back," Jay said playfully.

"Yah, you better," El muttered as she looked back to Jay, still slinked by the windowsill.

Claudia then looked back to the two, "Please, hurry up, Jay. The Mecha just tore down a street light in the middle of a four way intersection..."

Jay looked to Claudia and nodded. She bowed slightly and grinned. "Lead the way, then," she muttered and straightened up.

Claudia retorted with a smile and nodded, she leaned down a bit over the edge of the cliff of white rubble, and then jumped. Her hair danced behind her as she came to the ground in a ridiculously graceful manner; her armor was illuminated in the precious light as she touched the sea of green blades below. Then, Claudia jutted herself forward, pressing her foot against the house and took off with incredible speed. Only a faint silhouette was discovered as her body was pushed through the force of the wind that was declared about her frame. Felicia did the same action. Jumping and then racing like a ghost into the distance beside Claudia. Then, Jacob did the same, though, not before he flashed El a smile to reveal his sparkling teeth and, he as well, soon faded into the distance.

Jay watched the trio run for a while and then stood on the edge of the rubble cliff. After a few moments of deliberation she simply lunged from the cliff and landed in a run on the ground, and despite her lagging behind she quickly caught up to her new team in less than a few seconds.

Within the city, a billow of smoke was presented just at the corner of Eastway and Broak Street, just as Felicia had predicted. The gentle gray clouds swam up within the air, from the source of a massacred tour bus. It sat in rubbles, the flames crackling along the edges of the material. At the tip of the bus, a girl sat, her legs crossed casually as she leaned back, one arm upon the burning bus, and another out and forward, presented as a glistening cannon. The Mecha that had been detected. Her long scarlet and golden hair shimmered in the reflection of the dancing flames, as her liquid gold eyes glanced around the destruction she had caused. Her armor was designed after a black laptop, though, it was surprising how dangerous a simple computer could be. She lifted her head to look at her work and shot another set of flares from her cannon to the corner of a building and laughed gently to her self, "This is just too easy..."

Another set of flares was fired from somewhere beyond the Mecha, mixing with the shots she had produced, neutralizing them. "Can't you people learn... things aren't ever easy," muttered Jacob as he smirked toward the newly appeared Mecha.

The Mecha groaned and leaned over, and set her head in her hand as her limb formed back into an arm, "Oi...Alpha, right? Omega's told me about you guys...So, are you really as tough as they say?" she responded coolly, as though Jacob did not threaten her in the least.

A sudden spark of dancing scarlet neon flares were shot against the Mecha's back, shoving her off the edge of the bus (though, she landed easily along the ground). She looked behind her with a snarl, as her eyes caught Claudia now standing where she had once sat. Her cannon pointed at her, "Yes. We are."

Jay appeared next to Jacob and looked at the Mecha, tilting her head slightly. "So, finding a bit of pleasure in blowing things up, aren't we?" she asked as she looked around to the chaotic scene. "I promise you there are better ways of stress relief."

The Mecha simply laughed and shrugged, "None that suite my interest...So tell me, before you send me back to the asylum that I came from, a bit of an introduction. Here, I'll start," she bowed teasingly, smirking as her ruby lips glistened, "My name is Ivana Anastasiya Elena..." (She then paused and quickly straightened herself up as both her arms formed into cannons as she pointed one in each direction) "And I'm going to put you all through hell and back!" at the end of her words, intimidating flames were shot from the pits of the cannons toward both Claudia as well as Jacob and Jay.

Claudia easily sidestepped to the side, and jumping onto the rubble positioned just beside the bus. She shot duel flares from both her arms now. They spiraled toward Ivana, however, she too had jerked herself from harms way, ducking onto the ground and arching her back so that she looked similar to a pouncing feline.

Jay watched this scene enfold before her, and when she turned back to face before her she let out a small yelp as she realized that the other blast Ivana had fired was headed toward her. Jay froze; the reaction needed buried deep within this rookie. She simply stood in her place staring as the dazzling flare neared her.

The damage had never come however, instead there was a small wince emitted from the human shield presented before Jay. Jacob stood, leaning over partially, as his stomach was gouged deeply from the shot, the armor and flesh singed and burned around the edges. His muscles were tense now as he looked over his shoulder to Jay, "Dammit, Jasmine! I realize this is your first time in battle, but you can at least _stay focused_!"

Jay was brought back to reality as this occurred. "Oh! I'm sorry, Jacob," she muttered as she looked to her brother then to Ivana. "If this is what her weapon can do to you, then... let us see what it can to do her." Jay held up her hand and duplicated the cannon that Ivana had used just moments before. She aimed carefully and waited for her target to pause slightly in her movement and fired.

The flare darted forward spiraling in a magnificent form as the sparks of gold flew off from its core. Ivana moved partially, bringing her body back up from the ground and straightening her form, just as the sheer energy skimmed her shoulder. She cringed at the touch, however, it at only taken the upper most layer of flesh along her shoulder. Lifting her head and looking back to Jay, she hissed, very much like a cat, and shot another flare toward her once more.  
Jacob watched the flare, his cannon out and ready, but did not once shoot, but nearly tutored Jay in her actions, "Shoot something at it! It'll neutralize the shot and make it fizzle out!"

"I think I could have figured that out my self, thank you," she muttered and aimed her duplicated cannon at the flare that spiraled toward her and fired at it causing it to make a small explosion as the blasts simply evaporated without causing any damage.

Jacob scoffed upon this matter, "Just trying to be helpful," he shrugged, and then darted forward, as if the large wound in his frame was no longer there.  
A few small glowing spheres the size of golf balls were then chugged at Ivana's feet. They whistled wildly as though it were a teakettle, and then snapped into large explosions just about Ivana. She snarled upon the action and choked at the sudden appearance of spoke and flames as the substance entered her lungs. Felicia analyzed the movements, watching intently, from the side. Her large eyes were intent upon every action that was pursued.  
Claudia, at the sight of the sudden sparkles of smoke and fire, smiled lightly, "Felicia...smart thinking as always..." she muttered before darting forward with Jacob, her cannons armed and ready as she shot up into the air was one large jump, shooting a number of shots like a machine gun at Ivana, who was too distracted by the sudden smoke to respond.

Jay stood back for a while watching the three taking in the differences of their cannons. "Let's see... Jacob's cannon as a good bit of punch behind it, but Claudia's will cause more lasting wounds, and Ivana's gives the blasts just sheer speed to make them lethal," she muttered her eyes fixed on the fight before her. She raised her arm and pointed it to the sky just as an enraged Ivana - clad in a few wounds and scuffs on her armor - burst from the smoke and jumped toward her. Jay waited for and few moments time slowing as she processed the movements of Ivana, and then when she was close enough she shot a large flare from the duplicate cannon on her arm. "I see your games, sneak up on the rookie..."

At the blast, Ivana had, in defense, shot two more flares her cannons, one from each. She recoiled at the singed touch of the firework-like flames that throbbed against her body, however, as she stumbled to the ground, her hair askew and falling over one of her eyes, she looked up to Jay with a grin. There was no possible solution for Jay to miss the two large blasts of energy that had been protruded from the midst of Ivana's cannons.

Jay's eyes widened as the blasts drew near her. She shot a blast from her cannon and neutralized one blast, only to have the other whiz toward her and collide roughly with Jay. She cringed and she stumbled back a few feet from the force of the blast. Jay looked up and glared at Ivana as her cannon turned back to her arm and she wrapped her arms around herself pain searing through her. "Okay, that hurt, a lot."

Ivana's grin then broadened, as she raised her eyebrows upon Jay's actions, "Rookie, huh?" she retorted, with a small snicker. She stood now, but as she did so, she whined as her chest began to throb. The entire portion around her shoulder neck and collarbone, trailing down just above her breast, was utterly massacred. The armor had been smoldered into a brittle ash, falling away to reveal the scarlet and black skin, pieces of flesh hung about the neck as scarlet spiraled down the skin. Her eyes widened and she stumbled back a bit, looking back to Claudia, Jacob, and even Felicia. Each had come into her path, narrowing the distance so that they were only a yard or so apart from her now crumbling body. Through this, however, Ivana still held a smirk along her lips, even as she discovered blood trailing down her chin. She now spoke, with such a firm and certain voice, it was as though she were perfectly healthy at this point as she snarled, "Beginner's luck, but, luck or no, there's no way you're getting me back in that mental institution!"

"Why don't you just give up," (Jay winced as she straightened up, wounds covering her body as well.) "You can barely move," she muttered and held her arm up, now in the form of its usual cannon. "Or do I have to shoot you again? Or maybe Claudia or Jacob would like to shoot you as well, take your pick."

As their names were announced, both Claudia and Jacob had pressed their cannons to Ivana's back (Jacob putting an arm around her ruined neck to keep her still). Claudia then looked to Felicia and nodded as she motioned her head toward Ivana. Felicia nodded in return, her arm then formed into a cannon, however, unlike the others, hers was smaller and more defined as a tube filled with pale liquid jutted out around her elbow, and where the barrel would be was a long slender needle. With silence, she approached Ivana, who shouted and declared some unsanitary words as she struggled, and in one fluid motion she pressed the needle into her exposed abdomen, injecting the liquid from the tube near her elbow. For a moment, Ivana's eyes dilated and shook partially at the sudden detection of the substance entering her body, then, she fell limp to the ground as Felicia pulled the needle from her body.

Jay smiled weakly at this and took a deep breath wincing slightly. "So, did I do okay for my first time in battle?" she asked as she clutched onto her stomach, which throbbed with pain.

Upon her words, Jacob looked her over, his eyes immediately drawn to the gaping wound upon her body, "Well, you're not dead are you?" he suggested simply, as the blood trailed down his rigid and toned stomach, however, he took no notice and stood as though he were in perfect health.

"No, but it feels like I should be," Jay muttered wincing as she smiled weakly once more at her brother.

Felicia then approached Jay with a small sigh, "Here," she muttered and pressed her hands along the injury, her eyes focused along the gaping wound. There was a gentle wince that fell from her lips. Her body tensed and she recoiled her hands away from the injury, to reveal the flesh, somehow, once more in its perfect complexion, as if Jay had never been fractured.

Jay blinked and straightened up feeling no pain at all. "Wow. Thanks Felicia," Jay muttered but she began to sway slightly as her head pounded. Perhaps she overexerted herself a little.

A nod was presented to Jay, "I may not be able to fight, but I can be of use for support..." she muttered gently, as she now went to Jacob and did the same with his wound as Claudia now began to speak, "Felicia can heal others if she can feel the pain of the injury. Useful, as she says, but sometimes I'm not that comfortable with her taking that pain for herself."  
Felicia now lifted her head, now finishing with Jacob, cringing partially, "No, no...Not this again. We have other matters to deal with. Ivana has planted an explosive in the basement of one of the buildings. I'm sorry Jay, but I believe it's your employment building that's due to burst in flames."

Jay blinked and tensed slightly. "What was that?" she asked as she looked to Felicia, not comprehending the matter due to the throbbing in her temples.

Felicia opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes widened a bit as she now jerked her head back to a tall slender building just around the corner, its red bricks suddenly bursting into a blaze of dancing fire. Smoke trailed from the now shattered windows as sparks flailed from its in interior. Felicia cringed at this, staring at the blaze, "I believe...that answers your question."

Jay followed Felicia's gaze and gasp. "Oh shit. That can't be good for business," she murmured snapping from her daze. "Do you know if there's anyone still inside? I'd hate if my employers died so tragically."

Felicia head lowered a bit and cringed, staring upon the flares, "...I can only detect one...A male, age twenty...On the third floor."

"I guess I can't leave him either. And I know the building better than any of you, so I'll go get him and bring him back," Jay muttered as she strolled toward the building. "Besides staying in burning buildings is my specialty."

Claudia looked from Ivana to the fire, seeming to debate along the manner, but she then nodded to Jay, "Very well, but please just hurry!"

"Don't worry I will," Jay muttered and hurriedly took off into the flaming building. Soon she was amidst the flames and thanking the heavens that she was so naturally cold. Jay quickly ran through the raging flames and up a few flights of stairs. "Okay well... if I was a twenty-year-old guy trapped in a burning building, where would I be hiding?" she asked herself, though her voice was muffled due to a metal mask that covered her mouth and nose.

Billows of smoke clouded through the building, fire abroad along the walls and trailing to the windows as rivers of smoke flew to the outside air. A gentle cough was then exerted through the atmosphere, strained through the dense heat and gray clouds that flooded the area.

Jay laughed slightly as she darted toward the origin of the cough. "That answers that question," she murmured and burst through a door her eyes set on a figure in the midst of the smoke.

There, hunched over and grasping a smoldering desk for support, was the young man in question. The substance smoke entered his endangered lungs and he produced another cough from his lips. He was tall and slender, though his body still revealed obvious muscle. He loomed over the desk as his long blonde hair, almost touching his shoulders, brushed against his face and swooping over his eyes. One of his eyelids was closed, but the other was open peering forward to reveal irresistible sea green. The color shone brightly even in the midst of the fire, and it was odd how beautiful the shade was; the perfect mixture of green as it caressed the ocean blue. His body was adorned in the catering uniform; though, it was strange how he could pull it off so easily even with the smudges of ash that were presented against skin and clothes.

Jay stood in awe of this young man for a few short moments, until another cough from him was expelled. She quickly walked toward him and smiled - though it was unable to be seen because of the mask that covered it. "You know, a burning building is nowhere to be hanging out," she murmured standing before the man.

The man then opened both his eyes to look upon the speaker before him. He stared at the armor for a moment and slumped over slightly, coughing once again, "...Am I dead?" he muttered, his words were obviously tense and throbbed with each syllable, "...because...if I am...I'm gonna go haunt my boss's ass for sending me up here to pick up some damned package...only to have the building friggin' explode..." he then offered a smile and laughed the best he could, though, it was difficult with the amount of smoke that was clouded about him.

"No, you're not dead, yet. But if we don't get you out of here soon you may be," Jay muttered as she glanced around looking for possible exits.

He looked her over, his body still tensed as he was leaned over, "...and...you are?" he muttered, squinting his eyes to stare through the thick gray smoke.

"I'll introduce myself later, I have to get you out of here first," Jay muttered as she formed her hand into a cannon and blew out one of the windows as she held her other out to motion for the man to get closer. "So grab a hold of me and hang on."

For a moment, he had hesitated, though, as he figured he'd be better off taking a chance then dying, he took hold of her hand and waited for what was to come next. Surprisingly, he did not recoil at the touch of cold metal, only finding it satisfying against the intense heat.

Jay grinned slightly and pulled him toward her with ease, and she then picked him up as if he was merely a feather and put him over her shoulder. Jay backed up a little and ran from the center of the room jumping from the blown out window and landing gracefully on the ground. She set the young man down a few yards away from the flaming building and stepped back to allow him to breathe.

He was still slumped over a bit, wiping away the ashes from his cheek. Running a hand through his hair, taking away the black bits of particles scattered about it, he began to speak, his words still strained as he was still getting over the massive amount of smoke he had just experience, "You still haven't answered my question...Who are you?"

Jay paused for a few moments before answering. "Jasmine," she murmured as she smiled at him, the mask that covered her face gone.

His face brightened at the name a bit, and he straightened himself up partially, "Jasmine...I like that name," he then smiled uneasily, "It's better then mine - Michael."

"Well, Michael, you need to take it easy and not overexert yourself. That smoke can't be good for you," Jay said as she glanced over her shoulder as the large mass of fire trucks and ambulances arrived. "I have to go now, you go get help. It would be a shame if you died after I worked so hard to save you."

Michael smiled lightly upon this and nodded, but then muttered gently to himself as he looked to the building that was due to fall to ashes any moment, "...I should've known this would be a bad day, when my mentor never showed up..."

Jay arched an eyebrow and sighed slightly. "I'm sure she had a good reason not to show up, maybe she had a rough night and ended up sleeping all day," she murmured as she began to walk away.

Michael had looked up to say something, his eyes glimmering and showing specks of fire in its liquid reflection, however, she had already vanished from his vision. He let out a heavy sigh along this matter; in fact, one would think he was rather disappointed.  
Back and out of sight from any newscasters or ambulances, the Alphas waited. Jacob held the sleeping Ivana in his arms as he watched Jay approach. However, it was Felicia's turn to speak, quickly approaching Jay, "You may want to hurry home to El."

"Why? What's wrong with her?" Jay asked concern building up in her already exhausted frame.

"I think, that she is to be activated very, very soon."

El sat slumped along her bed, along her stomach. Her head was placed neatly in her palm as she laid, her ash colored hair falling elegantly against her cheek as she flipped through the channels of her TV. Her fingers were pressed gently along the buttons, her eyes flickering against the light of the TV as it switched. She then paused upon one channel, lifting her head from her hand; as the newscaster began to report live from the destruction of the city. Listening intently, she waited to see clips of the battle that had commenced and, sure enough, she saw Jay's figure along the screen, her cannon outstretched and shooting a large beam to the dangerous Mecha. At this, El had smile softly, though uneasily at this, as she continued to listen to the words presented to her from the television. However, the screen flickered, for a moment, and El watched in curiosity messing with the buttons on her remote in an attempt to cease the flickering. Instead, the TV went entirely black, only whispers now emerging from the audio; though, it was nothing like the once rigid voice of the newscaster, but someone entirely different.  
"Attention to all listening to this vital broadcast...Humans and Mechas, alike. I wish to send a simple message to each of you. First of all...humans..." (The word was hissed), "You will not be safe, much longer. You're blood will be spilled and you will live no more. Only your rotting corpses will remain hung over our doors. Every one of you. Children, adults. You will all die." (They then paused and spoke again), "As for Mechas. Come to our side and join our cause. The humans have plagued our planet and they do not deserve to live. They've dominated our home for far too long, bringing pollution, war, and the eventual destruction of our home. Do not allow this. We can stop this all before it is all too late to save...As for those Mechas who are inactive...We welcome you to your new life..."  
The voice was suddenly broken by a vibrant hum that was exerted through the television. Piercing the once calm atmosphere with its too-high frequencies. It whispered through the air and reached El. Her eyes dilated and she immediately brought her hands to her ears, whimpering at the sound. It gnawed at her body, her head throbbing viciously from the noise. Small amounts of cries were emitted from her mouth as she now stumbled off her bed and upon the ground, still holding her hands to her head. El grinded her teeth together as the sound stabbed at her head, as though knifes were stitching her body. She then lifted her eyelids, to scare across to the TV that still emitted the vicious noise to her. Her expression was pained and ached as she lifted herself off the ground, shaking. Her feet dug into the floor as the sound reached higher and louder lengths. She very nearly screamed, her hands clutching tighter at her head as her nails dug into her skin and hair. The heart in her chest raced tremendously, as she struggled to grasp her hands about the shrieking TV. Her hands clutched at its sides, as she winced and groaned at the noise. She then, with great force threw the television across the room so that it shattered against the most opposite wall in silence. El panted and fell to her knees, the TV crackling faintly in rubbles just below the large and immense hole that now plagued the wall. She took another gulp and was now curled along the ground in a ball; though, this could not secrete the now glimmering armor that embedded her body. Its black surface smooth as it shone in the illumination that flooded through the window.


	4. Chapter Three

Okay Chapter three. Again I will say this... if you don't like the overpowering OCness get over it. And please review.. We would like feedback.

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C h a p t e r - T h r e e

Jay raced through the streets that led to El's home worry filling her body. Felicia had played the broadcast for the small group and Jay had quickly bolted toward El in hopes to get there before she turned completely. Jay reached El's mansion of a house and jumped onto the demolished balcony and through the sliding door only to let out a gasp at the scene before her. "El! What the hell did you do to your wall?" she then looked below the large hole to the crushed television, "And your TV?"

El shook upon the floor, her hands clutched over her ears as though the sound was still playing, "...evil...humming noise..." she whispered, her words strained as her eyes were firmly shut, "...had to...destroy..."

"You didn't have to kill the TV though," Jay murmured and walked toward El, kneeling next to her as she placed a hand on the cold metal that covered El's body.

El then opened one eye at the touch of Jay's hand, "I couldn't see any other logical solution at the time..." she muttered, her body tense.

"It's called an 'Off' button. Works wonders El," Jay said as she smiled at El.

"...Well I'd like to see you think straight with that sound going through your head..." El then muttered, and took a breath before sitting up, though it took a moment before she had released her hands from her head and instead placed them upon the carpet of the floor.

"Well... be it at that. I wouldn't have thrown it against the wall I would have just blown it up," Jay murmured as she crossed her legs in front of her rest her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand.

El rubbed the side of her head, in attempt to still get any remaining remnants of the sound from her hand, "Besides...I couldn't of made that big of a mess..." she muttered and leaned over to take a look at the destruction she had caused. She blinked, not expecting to see the falling rubble of her wall upon the wrecked machine, being to shattered to the extent it almost did not look a television anymore, "I did _that_?"

"Yeah, unless we're both imagining things. That extra boost of Mecha strength packs quite a bit of a punch," Jay muttered as she closed her eyes and resumed her human self, finally knowing how to do such a task.

El watched this, her eyes shifting over the armor, as it formed back to human flesh and clothing. She then looked down to herself and held up a hand to look to it, the black metal shimmering. She then laughed gently as she looked to the rest of her body, "...Wow," she muttered softly, giggling, "Not only am I a...a 'Mecha', but a Mecha based after a friggin ipod."

Jay laughed and watched El. "You missed an awesome fight though," she murmured as she closed her eyes exhaustion filling her once more.

"Seems like it. I saw the whole thing on TV before that stupid broadcast came on. Figures everyone'd be gone when it happened," El sighed and ran a hand through her short hair, the strands similar to silk as they trailed through her fingers.

"But the fun part wasn't the fight, it was the fact my work blew up," Jay murmured letting out a small sigh. "I'll never hear the end of that from my boss."

"Now, that part I missed..." El responded, now raising her eyebrows, "So, you work exploded...? I may find this odd, but how is that 'fun'?"

"I got to meet the guy I was supposed to be mentoring. Actually... I didn't just meet him I kinda saved his ass from burning," Jay murmured grinning slightly. "And he was _really _cute too."

El laughed along Jay's lines, "And I suppose you regret not going to work today, now, right?"

"Sorta. Now he only knows me as 'Jasmine, the Mecha who saved his life' and not 'Jay, his mentor'," Jay murmured sighing slightly. "But, then again, they will be two different people all the time. Claudia made it clear that I can't tell anyone what I am."

"Then... just introduce yourself as Jay, the person," El responded coolly as she now scooted herself back upon her bed, her legs folded underneath her.

"Yeah, I know. But it would be damn near impossible to be with him. The whole forbidden thing," Jay murmured leaned back against El's bed. "Stupid rules... And he's really cute too."

"You are giving up too easily. There's always a loophole, you just need to figure out where to look," El explained, taking another look at her arm, analyzing the metal and tilting her head as she did so, "...how's this work again...? Visually, right?" she muttered, more to herself as she stared at the armor along her arm, and within moments the mechanics and wires engraved along her body folded back and revealed the usual human flesh and clothing about her figure. She grinned, satisfied with her work.

"Fast learner too, huh?" Jay murmured smiling at El. "And the only loophole would be for him to figure it out for him, and what are the chances of that?"

"All guys are smarter then we, females, give them credit for," El responded coolly, leaning over the bed, to look at Jay, though, as she did so, she caught sight of a dazzling green. She arched an eyebrow and brought her fingers around a decent clump of her hair that had fallen in front of her face. The entire left portion of her bangs and the hair that framed about her left cheek had gone a bright emerald.

"Michael's also not a teenage boy. He's actually an adult," Jay said as she laughed at El's response to the new color in her hair.

"All the more reason to let him learn these secrets on his own," El muttered, taking her mind away from the new dye of her hair, as she now leaned over a bit more over Jay, while she still sat upon her bed.

Jay smiled and let out an exhausted sigh as she closed her eyes once more. "Man... that fight took more out of me than I thought."

El laughed gently upon this and curled herself on the bed now, looking at her hand, rather fascinated with it as she now formed into a cannon and back again, getting used to the strange feel of her flesh turning to metal and vice versa, "I'd figure...It was your first battle."

"Plus that Ivana that attacked decided to blast me nearly head on, wasn't any help to the fact. Luckily Felicia has a wonderful little power and can heal," Jay said letting out a small yawn.

"I must've missed that part. The last part I saw was you throwing some sort of blast at that Mecha - Ivana, apparently," El replied, peering over the edge of her bed to Jay.

"Yeah. And I found out that I have some cool little ability to duplicate other Mechas weapons," Jay said grinning, "It's really cool actually.

El smiled at this and now jumped off her bed to kneel beside Jay, "Then try mine," she responded, rather curious to see this ability. She held her arm out in front of Jay and allowed to form into a cannon. El smiled upon this, being able to catch on to the transformation thing relatively quickly.

"Do I have to? I'm sleepy," groaned Jay as she let out another yawn.

El laughed partially and pulled back her arm, forming it back into a human limb, "As long as you show me sometime," she responded, smiling still.

"I will, believe me you'll see it sooner or later. Now that you're a Mecha Jacob's eager to get you on the battlefield just so he can save your ass," Jay murmured another yawn escaping her lips.

El looked to the side of Jacob's name, glowering at the shattered television, "Even if I am on this team now apparently, do I _have _to acknowledge Jacob's existence...?"

"Nope, because I'm not going to. Even though... I really have no choice but to hear him," Jay said with a sigh. "Even as we speak all I hear is what Jacob's thinking. I wish things would be like they were yesterday. I couldn't hear him then..."

"But he can hear your thoughts too right?" El questioned, leaned against her bed as she sat upon the carpet with her legs crossed, "Why don't you send him a message to go fall off cliff or something?"

"Like he'll listen. You know how Jacob is," Jay said with a sigh as she let out another yawn.

"Sadly, yes, I do...But it'd still make me feel better if it was said," El sighed now, rubbing her eye, though, she then lifted her head as the familiar sound of an engine was pronounced through the air.

"Sounds like Bumblebee's back, and on that note I'm going to bed," Jay murmured standing up and stretching out.

El laughed gently upon this and stood as well, "Better hurry before you - well, 'we' - are called on duty again."

Jay let out a small groan as El said this. "Don't jinx me, El. I would hate to have to hurt you."

El smiled uneasily at this and managed an apologetic expression, "Sorry, I - "  
"El," Bumblebee's voice suddenly came through El's open window. He stood, like he had done earlier that day, in his robotic form.  
At this, El groaned and approached the window, "_Bumble_! Why do you keep doing this in broad daylight? What if someone sees you?"

"We don't have time for this. Optimus has called an emergency meeting between the Alphas and us. He has asked me to tell you to contact the rest of your team and meet us in the football stadium from last night," Bumblebee explained only to receive a groan from Jay.  
"EL! You jinxed me," she muttered in a pout.

El looked back to Jay and smiled uneasily, and attempted to change the subject of 'jinx', "...Er...Jay? Do you mind sending the message to Jacob...?"

"He already knows. This twin telepathy thing does have its pluses," Jay said with a frustrated yawn.

El smiled lightly upon this, "I still think you should tell him to jump off a cliff," she responded and now opened the door to reveal her destroyed balcony. At this sight, she groaned, "Now on top of this ruin, I have to somehow come up with a way to explain the hole in the wall and the wrecked TV to my parents..."

"Plus you need to tell them eventually why there's a strange girl sleeping in the spare room," Jay added smiling at El.

El laughed gently, "Compared to _this_," she motioned toward her balcony, "That'll be easy..." she then sighed and stood at the edge of the balcony. She took a breath as her body then embedded itself with sleek black armor. Looking to Bumblebee, she said coolly, "Bumble, you can tell Optimus that we'll be there soon."

Jay groaned as she watched Bumblebee nod and vanish from the window. "Why does no one ever want me to sleep?" she asked as she, too, covered herself in her shimmering pink armor.

"Because you're just lucky, Jasmine," Jacob's voice suddenly spoke as he now landed upon the balcony, Claudia and Felicia at his side. Each was adorned in their own armor, glimmering the illumination of the dimming sun.

Jay cringed as she heard her brother say her name. "Jacob, I swear call me Jasmine _one more time _and I will rip your head off."

Jacob merely grinned and said simply as he now stood at Jay's side, "Good luck with that."  
"Jacob," Claudia's voice rang firmly, "For once, can you listen to her? As much as I'd like to see you dead, it's not going to do much for the fate of humanity if we have one less team member."

"No but it would do a lot for my sanity if he was dead," Jay murmured as she glared at her brother. She then cleared her throat and looked to Claudia. "So you now get to meet our giant robot friends, but why they want to constantly deprive me of sleep I don't know."

Along her lines, Claudia had laughed gently, "I suppose none of us will know, but we should leave before this 'Optimus Prime' gets impatient. You know where the meeting place is, I believe. If this is the case, please...lead the way," she then looked to El and smiled, "Both of you. Consider this our welcoming to the team, El."  
El looked back at Claudia and smiled, her hair (now somehow pitch black again) swaying against her cheeks. Her vision then shifted to Jay as she reached the very tip of the ruined balcony, "You heard her Jay. C'mon."

"Gotcha," Jay murmured and walked next to El. "Well, I suppose we should hurry, before my poor semi has a conniption fit."

El laughed gently upon this and, as she remembered how it was done before, she jumped from the edge of the balcony and along the emerald blades of grass. She grinned out she somehow managed to land on her feet, "...I'll never get tired of this..." she muttered, laughing gently as she now hurried off within the failing sunlight as she had seen the rest of the members of her team had done just earlier that day.

Jay laughed as well and lunged from the balcony following behind El, as her brother and the others followed suit and trailed behind the two girls.

-------

The football field sat silently in the same ruins as they had been left. The rubble scattered in the same place. The rigid surface of each individual fragment, bent and crooked at its edges as the low light was shattered at its touch, exactly how they were remained. Optimus stood waiting in the center of the field, Bumblebee diagonally placed behind him. Though, in addition to them were two more large robots. One was a twenty-four ft tall golden and scarlet machine, the metal that trailed upon his body was a conversion of a Search and Rescue Hummer H2 vehicle; like Optimus and Bumblebee, the metal had been snapped and bent to fit his immense frame. To the other side, was an even larger robot, reaching twenty-six feet. The surface of the metal was a variety of grays and blacks; the surface and frame of the metal revealing he had transformed from a GMC Topkick pickup truck. He too waited, though was much less patience then Optimus, for the Alphas to arrive.

Jay stepped onto the field glancing at the robots that stood before her. "Wow... just what we need, more impatient robot cars..." she murmured her voice hollowed from the exhaustion that filled her.

At her side, the remainder of the team had approached. Claudia took the lead in front of them. Their stances were positioned in a point, Claudia at its tip, closest to Optimus. She bowed now, her expression serious, "The Autobots I presume," she began before lifting her head up to look at them more clearly, "I am Claudia, leader of the Alphas,"(she looked to Felicia, who bowed as well), "Felicia, our medical officer" (now she looked to Jacob, who offered a cocky grin as per usual), "Jacob, second in command" (she shifted her vision from Jay to El), "And, of course, you are already acquainted with Jay and El."

Optimus nodded at Claudia and followed her lead introducing each member of the team. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots," (He looked to the gold and scarlet robot beside him.) "Ratchet, our medical officer," (then he looked to the other robot at his side) "Ironhide, weapons specialist," (he finally looked to Bumblebee) "And Bumblebee, El's and now to some extent Jay's, guardian."

"Charmed," Claudia said simply, craning her head up a bit to take a decent look at each individual robot, somehow amused, and a smile crawled onto her lips for a moment then vanished, "I've been told you called a meeting. If it is regarding the Omegas, we already have our share of decent information, however, over the past few months, Felicia has been monitoring a distinct signal of more beings plotting against Earth, aside from the Omegas. Beings that, I have come to believe, are related to your race."

"Decepticons," Optimus said simply as he knelt down to Claudia's level. "That is why I called this meeting. These two forces have joined together to take over Earth. Omegas to purify it of humans. Decepticons to take revenge for destroying their only chance of rebuilding themselves."

"If this is true, then what do you suggest would be the best way of proceeding?" Claudia responded, inquiringly. It was odd to see her in such a serious stance of leadership, holding no fear or regret as she stood so close to the cold blue and crimson metal that was layered along Optimus's frame.

"That we, too, join together. Standing alone we are both greatly outnumbered. But together we will have greater numbers, yet not as many as our foes but still enough to stand a chance," Optimus explained.

Claudia nodded to this, and thought over his words before responding, "I suppose that is our only decent decision...The Omegas will be using technology that will be unfamiliar to us once fighting along side these Decepticons, and vice versa I presume. We can help one another with this. So, simply put. I'll take you up on your offer of a 'team-up'."

Optimus nodded and stood to his full height. "We have also concluded that each of the Omegas will be paired with a Decepticons, so they are never alone while in battle. I propose we do the same," he said and looked to Ratchet and Ironhide, "Bumblebee and I are already in charge of El and Jay, and seeing as the boy there" (he pointed to Jacob) "is Jay's brother I will assume responsibility for him as well."

Claudia had nodded her head in agreement, "Yes, I suppose that would be necessary," she paused and now looked to Felicia then back to Optimus, "And if I may suggest that Felicia be with Ratchet? Both are medical officers and it only seems fitting that they are paired that way."

"Then you will be placed with Ironhide. If that is okay with you," Optimus said looking from the two polar opposites that will be placed together.

Claudia looked from Optimus, now, to Ironhide. She raised her eyebrows at the second largest machine in the group. She held an expression of uncertainty, but then nodded as she straightened her frame, "Very well, if it _is_ for the sake of Earth."

Optimus smiled slightly and looked at to everyone - Mecha and Autobot alike - and nodded. "Then it is settled, we must now all work together as best we can to protect this world."  
Jay smiled as best she could in her zombie-like state. "So does this mean the meeting's over and I can go to sleep?"

Upon this note, Claudia had laughed gently and looked to Jay with a grin, "Yes, Jay. Go on and head to bed," she responded rather lightly, in comparison to her once serious tone she had just moments.

Jay yawned and stumbled forward as sleep took over her. "Alright, goodnight," she murmured and fell forward onto Jacob who was conveniently standing in front her of, all consciousness gone from her.

Jacob's eyelids blinked upon his sister as she had done this. He caught her simply in his arms and looked to Claudia with a small glower, "You just _had _tell her 'yes'."  
"How was I supposed to know she'd pass out right here?" Claudia retorted quickly in her own defense.  
El sighed at this, and looked to Bumblebee, "Hey, Bumble, you think you can take Jay and I back to my home?" she retorted, smiling lightly as her body formed back into a human.

Bumblebee nodded and transformed into the gold and black Camaro - doors opened.  
Jacob held his sister and looked to El. "I guess I'll come too so I can help get Jay in the house because she weighs a ton," he murmured jokingly.  
In her sleep Jay lifted her hand and slapped Jacob roughly across his face. "Shut up, Jacob..." she murmured and then settled back down, snuggling against his chest as her human self slowly began to resurface.

At this, El was silent, only scowling gently at Jacob before she groaned softly. She twirled her body to begin to walk toward Bumblebee, arms crossed, "Just get in..." she murmured, her body tense, as the reappeared green strands of hair brushed against her skin.

Jacob nodded and glared at his sister. "Even in her sleep she still manages to get her way and hurt me," he murmured and followed El, letting out a small sigh as he, too, resumed his human self.

Claudia then returned human (Felicia doing the same). She looked up to the rest of the Autobots, though, her vision trailed to her new partner, Ironhide, "We should be off then. I'll tell you the coordinates of our base," she said simply, now putting a hand through her long flowing black hair.

Ironhide nodded in silence, clearly just as 'thrilled' about this partnership as Claudia, and formed into the vehicle that Claudia would be stuck with for the time being.

Claudia the muttered softly to herself, too low and too far away for her new partner to here, "...This is going to one long drive..." she muttered as she now approached the large black truck that was positioned before her, with obvious disliking.  
Felicia followed her leader's actions, though, instead went to Ratchet. She looked up to him from her tiny height, having to crane her neck quite a bit to look at the vast robot. She bowed and said gently, "Felicia - pleased to be working with you, Ratchet."

Ratchet smiled and kneeled down closer to Felicia's height. "It's my pleasure, Felicia," he said gently. "Shall we be going as well?"

"Yes, please," Felicia retorted politely, now returning his smile as she leaned back up to her usual stature as her short brown hair ran against her cheeks.

Ratchet nodded and transformed into the gold and scarlet Hummer, which seemed far from what Felicia would normally be seen riding in, and swung his door open.

Felicia, however, did not complain to the severe contrast to her usual style, and merely smiled kindly and got into the hummer, taking her spot in the seat within.  
Claudia was already set inside her new truck, however, she had scooted herself in the passenger's seat in the corner. She stared out the window and groaned, getting a difficult vibe from Ironhide.  
Optimus had formed back into a truck, and began revving his engine in a sign for the rest of the Autobots to begin their engines as well.  
El was in a hush as she entered her golden Camaro. She sat within the leather driver's seat and brought her knees to her chest to allow Bumblebee complete control of driving. However, she was still in a tensed silence as she sat within the car.

Jacob soon joined El in the car, his sister sleeping peacefully against him as he stared out the windshield. "El..." he murmured but the trailed off unsure of what he was going to say.

El ignored him, as the doors were now shut tight with a small slam. The engine revved now and the vibrations trailed through the seats. El, as though Jacob were not there, then spoke to Bumblebee simply, "Bumble, can you please make it a fast trip home...?"

"El, you can't just ignore me forever," Jacob said softly as Bumblebee began to drive from the stadium.

The vision she held upon through the window did not cease as El began softly in response, "Just because I'm on this team, it does not mean I've forgiven you."

"I know that, but I'd like it if you'd talk to me, at least a little," Jacob said as her moved his vision from the road to his sleeping sister.

"...Don't hold you're breath..." El muttered firmly as she leaned her head against the window beside her and glowered at the world just outside the vehicle that passed swiftly away.

Jacob stayed silent for a few moments before her looked to El and smiled. "Look, if I would have known you would have treated me like this, I never would have left you. I just didn't want to hurt you, but I guess I did anyway, huh?"

El then trailed her vision ahead of her, though her vision was blurred as she now looked to the moving steering wheel before her, as her cheeks were now flushed, "...Just shut the fuck up and go rot in a ditch, Mr. Second in command..."

Jacob sighed heavily and groaned as he leaned his head back against the seat. "If that's what'll make you happy, El."

El then rubbed her tear stained eyes, as her body was still tense. She shifted her body a bit closer against the window beside her, curling her body in a tighter ball as her hand now touched the icy window beside her. There was a moment's silence of only gentle breathing, though, this time El was the one to speak. Her words were shaken and strained, cracking every few syllables that were pronounced, "...I was up for weeks after you left. A decent night's sleep was a thing of the past, back then..." she took a breath and pressed her cheek gently against Bumblebee's chilled window, "My parents had already died from who knows what, and then you had come along. And just when you're within reach you go away. Because I was... 'human'. That's the excuse you gave me, then you friggin vanish off the face of the Earth...But, what pisses me off is that when you finally come back and you figure out that I'm not just human, you try to make things right. Ja...Jac...", she paused and took a breath, not being able to say his name, "Would you even have come back if I was still just human...?"

"El, the only reason I left was so I wouldn't hurt you. Mechas are so much stronger than regular humans. I could have seriously hurt you," Jacob said his voice soft as we watched El. "But now you're a Mecha too, and I don't have to worry about you having a frail human body anymore. Please just bear with me. I'm trying to get used to all this again. Before I was a Mecha I was a wonderful brother but I had to get away from Jay so I wouldn't hurt her either. And then I heard about the fire and it didn't cross my mind that they could save her like they did me. And now I just want to fix things with you two. To try and get things as close to normal as I can."

El lifted her head a bit and looked to the endless road just beyond the window, "...Were you to explain things like that...It might've been simpler. But...when you told me it was over...I asked you why," she took a breath and quickly wiped away a few more welling tears in the corner of her eyes, "You only said one thing...'Because you're only human'...It was like I wasn't good enough, like...I could _never _be good enough."

"I was just trying not to make it harder then it already was. I thought if I made things simple like that, then it would be easier to get over," Jacob paused and looked to Jay as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. "But I guess not."

"It would've been difficult, either way..." El muttered softly, but then sighed, wishing desperately to drop the subject, though, she then realized that Bumblebee had been there the entire time, listening. She watched the moving steering wheel again and muttered gently to her car, "Sorry you have to be stuck in the middle of all this, Bumble. You give us a ride home and all you get in return is depressing teenage love stories..."

Jacob laughed slightly and leaned back in his seat slightly. "So, one question and then we can drop the subject for as long as you want."

El sighed and finally decided to look to Jacob, her cheeks were flushed, as the edges around her eyes were wet with small tears. She looked to him from under her long lashes, "...what?"

"Am I forgiven at least enough for you to acknowledge my existence?" Jacob asked as he smiled meekly at El.

El sighed and leaned back against her seat, "...Only enough for me to notice you again...but that's all," she muttered softly as she looked to the ceiling of the car.

"And that's all I'm asking for," Jacob said his smile growing slightly. "And now I will gladly shut up and go rot in a ditch like you asked."

At this thought, El was silent, but, for the first time since the drive began, an entertained smile fell lightly on her lips, though, as fast as it came, it had vanished once again.

The rest of the ride was silent and it wasn't long before Bumblebee stopped in front of El's home and quieted his engine.

With a relieved sigh, El escaped the tense atmosphere of the vehicle, shutting the door behind her. She smiled at the sweet touch of the chilled air against her skin, and walked in front of the car and toward her home, not waiting for Jacob nor Jay, only wishing to return to her warm room in a hush.

Jacob got from the car, his sister clutched in his arms. He walked to the front of the car and paused watching El, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

Bumblebee was silent for a moment, however, in a quick instant he had revved his engine and nudged his frame forward and against Jacob, though, holding himself back to make sure Jay would not get hurt in the process.

Jacob blinked and stumbled forward slightly, as he turned to look back to Bumblebee. "Alright, I can take a hint. I'll behave. Don't need her car pissed at me as well as her, Jay, and the rest of my team," he murmured and followed El, letting out a heavy sigh.

El peeked into her house, glancing around carefully. With a sigh of relief, she realized her parents were not home just yet. She stepped in now, the heat of the house not fazing her, as she could only feel a gentle cool caressing her skin. She left the door open for Jacob, not looking back as she continued her way to her room. She found her space just as she had left it; with the screen to her ruined balcony wide open. El groaned at the sight and collapsed onto her bed, beginning to concoct ways of explaining to her family.

Jacob, after guessing which room Jay would be staying in, peaked into El's room. "So you're going to have fun explaining this, unless you can fix it all before they see it."

El grumbled a small unknown word of incoherence into her pillow, and lifted her head up partially, glaring at the hole she had created in the wall, "...How will I _ever_ be able to fix this" she muttered and lied her head upon the pillow again, "...I can barely handle a hammer, much less fix any of this..."

"Maybe you should ask someone to fix it," Jacob said leaning against the doorframe, watching El.

"...Who in their right mind would fix it on my low budget..?" El inquired, as she now put her arms around her pillow and held it tightly to her frame as she let out a small yawn.

"Who said you had pay them? I'm sure if you ask a _friend _to help they wouldn't ask for payment," Jacob muttered looking to the ceiling as he let out a small sigh.

El lifted her head partially to look back at Jacob, though she still kept the gentle pillow close against her body, "...Are you implying something?"

Jacob looked back to El and smiled at her. "Nope, not at all. Really I'm just thinking out loud."

El let out a lightly irritated sigh, bringing her body back down to the welcoming blankets of her bed. She curled up into a small ball, still holding tightly along this white pillow. The material pressed gently against her cheek as her eyes now closed, she responded softly, "...Just shut up, while you're ahead..."

"Alright, but you should head to bed. You have school in the morning right?" Jacob asked as he stood up straight, still smiling at El.

El only nodded, her eyes still shut, as she was already practically asleep in the sense. The caress of the pillow against her body, the silk like hair resting on her cheeks and trailing to her lush pink lips. It was difficult to believe, in such a stature, that she had once been angry.

"Well, Night then, El," Jacob murmured and walked toward the balcony.

A small response would have been proclaimed from El's lips, was she not already sleeping peacefully, with only the pillow in her arms to keep her company in her dreams.

Jacob looked back to El and smiled weakly. "El, I promise I'll make it up to you and Jay, even if it kills me. I would hate to leave with you two still mad at me," he murmured and vanished into the darkness.

-----------

That night was surprisingly peaceful. The serenity of the moonlight shining gloriously through the window; its illumination draped along the floor. The cool night air did not sting like it once had, the nights when there were still a sign of human sanity left along the lines of the house. Still, the darkness spread on, brightening at its corridors as the moon surrendered to the radiance of the sun, peeking up over the horizon and, in conclusion, against El's sleeping expression. She winced at the touch, pulling her pillow to her face and tightening her body, though, as the sun ceased to descend, El brought eyes over the pillow and squinted them open. The chocolate and caramel swirl within her eyes trailed with loathing to the sun that shattered into a million pieces onto the perfect balcony. That's when she lifted her head a bit more and lowered her pillow. A perfect balcony. This is what was seen before her vision. No rubble. No ruins. As though it had never been destroyed. Bewildered, she now looked to her dresser, there too sat her television, no longer shredded and destroyed. Now to the wall. It too was in perfect condition. It was as if, nothing had occurred. El blinked. Had it been a dream? She quickly looked to her arm and formed it into a cannon. She sighed in relief. No. Not a dream. She then formed it back into her arm. Her eyes trailed along the room now, curiously, though, just at the edge of her bed, she found Jacob. He was sitting up partially upon the floor, his head propped against the bed; his hand clutched loosely around a hammer, while beside his body were a pile of screws and other building necessities. El became confused again, never once expecting that what he had been 'implying' the previous night had been this. She got off her bed and stood, dropping her pillow behind her. She walked to the balcony, and hesitated before stepping along its white and polished surface. El took a breath and walked upon it. After a moment, she smiled, her expression clearly brightened as she clutched the balcony about her fingers as she looked to the early sunrise.

Jacob stirred slightly as the light hit him drawing him from his peaceful sleep. After a few moments he opened his white eyes and looked to the balcony to see El. "You like it?" he asked, a small yawn passing his lips, as he stood still clearly exhausted.

El was silent for a moment, unsure what words to choose, though, she began while she looked back to him (cheeks flushed), "How...how did you manage to get all this done?"

"A lot of hard work and little sleep. And connections to top quality building supplies," Jacob muttered letting out another yawn.

There was then a smile that sparked upon her lips as El turned to face Jacob completely. She held her hands against the railing behind her, leaning her body against it as the rays of the sun ran passed her cheeks, "Thank you," she said simply and a small chortle had fell from her lips, "For saving my ass..."

"No problem. It wouldn't be right for you to get in trouble for something I did," Jacob said smiling at El, as he seemed to wake up a little more.

"The balcony, yes, but I was responsible for the chaos in my room," El then explained, as she straightened her body and watched Jacob, "You didn't _have_ to fix those, too."

"That was because I'm a nice guy," Jacob said smiling his normal cocky grin.

El then sighed at this and brushed away a few askew pieces of hair from her face, "Don't get too arrogant. You'll screw up the moment..."

Jacob laughed slightly and wiped the cocky grin from his face and smiled sincerely at El. "Alright, fine I'll keep the arrogance to a minimal."

"Good," stated El, firmly as she now strolled from the balcony and back into her room, "So...you were here _all _night?" she inquired, a small note of uneasiness at this fact.

"Yeah, but don't worry my eyes stayed focused on my work. Promise," Jacob said leaning against the wall next to the balcony.

At this El sighed, a motion of relief in her posture, "Again - _good,_" she muttered as she was now at her closet to pull out her clothes, her eyes darting from her clock, and back to Jacob, "Now get out. I have to get ready for school."

"Alright, I better go and wake my sister up before she's late for work. Even though her work burned down they still need her to train that human that was checking her out that day," Jacob said crinkling his nose at the thought.

"Don't be hard on him," El then responded, turning her body once more to face Jacob. She lifted her chin to observe him, and her expression was hard as she continued, "He _is_ 'only human'."

"And she is my sister, you have to remember that," Jacob said grinning slightly. "So I have to be protective, don't I?"

El rolled her eyes at this, "You're so hypocritical, sometimes..." she muttered and sighed, setting her clothes upon her bed and straightened the material, "The way that man looks at Jay, is the same way you used to look at me."

"Yeah, yeah, you're just saying that. You've never even seen the guy," Jacob said as he walked toward the door. "Oh and in case you haven't noticed: I still look at you that way," he said looking to El over his shoulder.

El did not look back, her throat dry for the moment, for she could not find the perfect words to suffice. She sighed and leaned over her bed a bit, simply staring at the cloth, muttering gently, "Just leave, Jacob..."

Jacob laughed and walked over to El gently giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "Alright, I'm gone, El," he said and left with another word.

Once he had left, El sat upon her bed and brought her folded clothes into her hand, clutching upon them and covered her face. She muttered into the pillow, gasping for breath as her lips quivered, "...Why, dammit? Why do you have to keep pulling me back...?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That day of school was not one that varied from any other. The bell rang in its usual melodic tone, singing against the stone of the walls and echoing through the lime green lockers. Each teacher gave their ordinary work; project for history, reading for English, and so on and so forth. This would continue till the end of the day, when the bell struck three and the sound rang and vibrated through each room. All this lead to the days 'glorious' climax: Abigail. El, today, had only bared it in hush. Despite her aching urge to use her new strength to fight, she held her body back, finding it unfair in the circumstances. Nonetheless, the scraping against the cement as she slammed to the ground was somehow less painful then usual. Only a gentle numbness fell around her lip as the sun's afternoon light reached her face. Like a survivor of war, she stood and grabbed her belongings, allowing Abigail and her posse to leave with excited laughter. El rubbed her eye with one hand, and brought her finger to her chin as she felt a warm liquid fall down her chin. She felt no tone of surprise as she found the usual scarlet that danced about her lip and chin, only continuing to Bumblebee who sat in silence near the sidewalk. With silence, she took her place within the car and slinked into the leather seat with hush.

"Why didn't you fight back?" Asked a voice from the passenger side of the car. Jay sat leaned back in her seat her feet propped against the dashboard.

El lifted her head up at her voice; she was confused for the moment, not expecting Jay to be sprawled out in her Camaro. She put a hand through her hair and looked out the window in front of her, attempting to wipe away her blood with her other hand, "...Oh. Jay...I didn't know Bumble was picking you up," she muttered, avoiding her question.

"I didn't either. He just showed up and told me to get in," Jay said looking out the side window of the car her eyes focused on Abigail. "And I'm glad he did pick me up..."

"You shouldn't worry," El began softly as she now brought her knees up to her chest, in order to not interfere with Bumblebee's driving, "It's been going on since freshman year. Just my afternoon ritual, I guess you would say."

"You shouldn't take it, El. And trust me you don't do anything about it I will," Jay said looking to El, concerned.

El sighed and looked to Jay with a light smile as she cleaned away the remainder of the blood about her lip, "It's fine, I promise and don't you think that it'd be a _little _unfair to go against a human in our condition?"

"I won't hurt her. Just threaten," Jay said smiling slightly, "It would a little too unfair to hurt her. Unless she hits you again."

At this, El fell uneasy, "Please just let it be, Jay. I've dealt with this since the beginning of high school. I can deal with it for just two more years..." she pleaded, pouting gently.

"El, I'm not just going to let you be pushed around like that. You shouldn't have to take it from her. And I'm not going to let you take it," Jay said sternly.

El sighed and leaned her head against the window, "It's not necessary, Jay..._really_."

"Gabriella, it certainly _is so _necessary, so don't tell me it's not," Jay said as she watched El her eyes focused. "And either you get her off your case or let me get her off your case."

El slumped back farther into her seat and bit her lip softly before speaking again, "Here, they think I'm sort of joke, y'know. I've told you before that I _am _considered the 'school nerd'. They take that title to the extreme at this school and Abigail simply finds it appropriate to poke fun at me because of what people consider me," she then explained as she set her finger along the steering wheel and gentle trailed her finger about the material.

"But that doesn't give her the right to hurt you. I remember the last person who poked fun at me like that, ended up with a few broken bones," Jay said shrugging slightly. "Of course I was also a loner so I had to stand up for myself. But you don't, you have me to help you out and I damn well plan on doing that."

"You...really are settled on this, huh?" El muttered and she laughed gently upon this matter, as she now put a finger to her lip to make sure it had ceased bleeding.

"Of course. We don't need another me, who doesn't know how to accept an offer for help," Jay said smiling at El.

Surprisingly, El smiled in return, "...You really are like an older sister. Thank you, Jay," she muttered gently and now looked to the radio of the car and spoke again, "And what about you, Bumble...? You _have_ seen pathetic little me get beaten up every day after school for who knows how long now..."

"It would be nice to see you walk out of school without having to look behind you," Bumblebee said as he tuned his radio.  
"So then it's settled. I'll be your bodyguard from now until that bitch leaves you alone," Jay said grinned.

El smiled lightly, "...You're so hopeless..." she muttered and laughed gently, "But please don't make too much of a fuss over this."

"Oh I won't if she doesn't," Jay said her grin still covering her lips.

"If that's the case, we'll have an entire crime scene by the end of the week," El responded and a small moan escaped her lips.

"I won't kill her, I promise," Jay muttered looking out the window at the passing scenery.

El sighed, "Just because you won't kill, does not mean you still won't brutally beat her..." she stated as she now raised her eyebrows as she looked to Jay.

"Okay enough of my plans to 'harm' your bully. Let's change the subject now," Jay said grinning still.

El looked at her strangely, "...To what?"

"I don't know, just something," Jay muttered looking to the ceiling of the Camaro.

El thought for a moment in silence, though, she then lifted her head again and smiled, "What about _Michael_?"

"What about him?" Jay asked looking to El smiling innocently.

"I _mean..._you saw him at work today, did you not?" El then inquired, leaning over a bit to Jay to examine her face thoroughly.

"Of course, I'm kinda forced to see him. I am his mentor," Jay said laughing slightly.

"Well...how did it go?" El urged, suddenly a bit more excited upon this matter.

"What do you mean? It was just another day at work," Jay said grinning slightly.

El made an expression of anxiousness at this point, her lower lip pushed out partially, "That tells me nothing. _My _ordinary day is getting beat up. _You,_ on the other hand, must have something much more interesting that happens."

"All it really consisted of was me teaching him how to drive one of the big trucks, and then us talking about random stuff," Jay mutter but then she added quietly, almost inaudible, "And Optimus having to keep me from wrecking..."

Suddenly Bumblebee had revved his engine in a tone of laughter; El smirked at this and was silent as she stifled a small giggle, "...I'm guessing you were too busy staring into Michael's eyes to pay attention to the road?"

Jay glared at the dashboard of the car and kicked it hard, but not hard enough to damage it. "Shut up, Bee," she muttered looking out the window. "And it's not my fault he's got gorgeous, to die for eyes."

"Do you even remember what you talked about?" El then urged, in a way to silence her own motion of chortles.

"Well... Sorta kinda, not really," Jay said poking her fingers together meekly.

"But I bet you can remember the color of his eyes, right?" El then teased, her smile broadening a bit.

"Well, yeah. I promise if you ever get to see those eyes, you won't forget them either," Jay said grinning slightly. "And it doesn't help that he's gorgeous himself. So his looks work with his eyes."

El shook her head, smile placed along her lips still, "...But of course you would notice this, rather then if there was a stop sign on the road or not...Thank god for Optimus being able to drive for himself."

"Oh shut up, El," Jay murmured slouching in her seat messing with a bit of the fishnet that covered her legs.

"So, how tall is he anyway?" El then grinned, "Six foot? Blonde? Give me some visuals, here."

"He's about six foot two. Long blonde hair that almost reaches his shoulders. The most irresistible sea green eyes." (Jay stopped and let out a dreamy sigh.) "He's slender, yet still muscular," Jay said as she stared out the window of the Camaro.

"Uh huh...So, basically a god in human form?" El then laughed gently as she rested her cheek against Bumblebee's window.

"I didn't say that..." Jay muttered meekly a slight hint of pink crossing her cheeks.

"But you were thinking that," El then noted, and she smiled again, lifting her head and looking to Jay with the sweet innocence only a younger sister could send.

"I was not," Jay said looking to El, grinning slightly. "But so far, he's pretty damn close."

"But of course," El then shrugged, trailing her finger down the chilled window of the vehicle, "Isn't that how it always is?"

"I guess, but I've been a loner for so long, this is kinda new for me," Jay said shrugging slightly. "I mean I'm not saying I'm in love with him or anything. Just a small crush."

El laughed gently, her voice similar to small chimes during a windy day, "That's what I mean. Puppy love. You think they're friggin near perfect," she smiled, reminiscing.

Jay looked to El and shook her head. "You know I'm kinda stuck listening to _his _random thoughts. I could do a little probing," she said smirking slightly.

El lifted her head again, and looked to Jay oddly, "Probing...?" she inquired, uncertain.

"You know if he's really just pulling your leg with all this over the top hang on your every move thing," Jay said rolling her eyes. "I've never seen my brother act that way. It's sickening."

"His thoughts can't be that bad, but I'm sure you've figure out he's fixed my balcony and all that other chaos in my room," El suddenly noted as she leaned back against the seat and set her finger upon the moving steering wheel before her, "That was actually, _surprisingly,_ nice...."

"And sickening," Jay pointed out sighing slightly. "But he's actually being true, for now. It's sweet I suppose."

"It's sort of scary though," El laughed gently, "The way he's acting...It's freaking me out a bit. Not what I'd expect from the guy who had left over a year ago."

"Well, his reasons were justified. Sorta like those vampire stories. Can't be around the one the love for fear of hurting them, but things turn out right in the end for the most part," Jay said laughing slightly.

El laughed lightly, "Don't go sappy on me, Jay," she playfully teased.

Jay laughed again and shook her head. "Me? Sappy? El, you honestly don't know me very well."

"Oh, contraire...that vampire metaphor was _really _sappy," El quickly defended, though, she smiled still.

"It was not, I was merely stating a point," Jay said smiling meekly. "But if you really want sappy I could tell you want runs through Jacob's head when he thinks of you."

El cringed at the thought and ran one of her hands through her hair, "...I'd rather you not..."

"Then don't call me sappy," Jay said smiling. She let out a small yawn. "Ugh, I need to catch up on my sleep, so as soon as we get home I'm going to bed."

A small chuckle was emitted from El's lips once again, "I swear...you're like a friggin cat with all this sleep of yours."

"Meow," Jay said holding her hand up to mimic a cat. "Even a kitten needs beauty sleep."

El raised an eyebrow at her action, "You're absolutely hopeless," she sighed and shook her head.

Jay laughed and smiled at El. "Yeah I know. But that's just me, so get over it," she said grinning. "And you young lady need to go in a start your homework right away."

"Oh shuddup," El responded, eyeing Jay, but then sighed, "I am going to be up forever tonight...Stupid trig."

Jay simply laughed and looked to the large mansion in front of them. She opened her door and began to get out. "Ask Jacob, he's smart, he'll help," Jay said rolling her eyes and crinkling her nose.

El followed with a sigh exhaled from her pink lips, "...Must I?" she began, but noted the odd expression placed along Jays' face, and merely cocked her head as her hair shifted against her cheeks.

"No, but you may want to find a way to get him away. I keep forgetting about this Twin Telepathy thing..." Jay muttered and yawned.

El processed this information and moaned, "...Great. Just what I need on top of you going to cause a horror scene tomorrow at school..."

"Just kick him really hard where it hurts if he bugs you," Jay said smirking as she located the open window to her room and backed up a little and ran slightly, as she lunged toward her window and vanished into it.

El's shoulders slumped down as her bag slid from her shoulder and to the ground, still clutching at its handle. She sighed now as her hair swayed back and forth against her face, muttering gently into the air, "Tomorrow...is going to be one hell of a long day..."

-----------

As per usual, the next day at school was simply a matter of de ja vu'. Each daily task of classes had repeated themselves with only a few minor changes upon the schedule. With these unchanging instances, the ordinary bore was presented fully through the corridors of Eliot High. El was no exception to this term. She found herself sitting in a hush as she doodled small pictures of her Camaro. The bell rang loudly, stinging her eardrums as she lifted her head to the sudden triumph of sound. She sighed: the end of the day. El stood, taking her precious time to obtain her belongings. Shoving the bag of her shoulder she took a slow pace to the exit of the building. Fellow students shoved past her, in a hurry to get home on such a day. Eventually, El had reached the front of the school, entering into the outside air. She felt only a numb chill against her skin as the wind swirled against her cheeks. Looking up, El's stomach sank as she saw her golden Camaro waiting patiently and watching just at the edge of the sidewalk. The Camaro, no doubt, symbolizing that Jay was here just as well. Her grip tightened around the strap of her bag, as she now glanced around the area. No sign of Abigail yet. Perhaps she would get lucky this day. This was, sadly, not the case.

A hand was pressed firmly against the back of El's head pulling her back toward the simpering figure of Abigail. "Did you think you could leave without my permission?" she asked her hand tightening on the back of El's head.

El cringed at the touch, her hand tightening about her bag's strap once more. She did not move her body, only wince faintly as she muttered, "Abbie, can we _please_ not do this today...? Any other day is fine, but today..." she trailed off, her eyes shifting to Bumblebee.

"Why's today so special? And what right to do have to reschedule my fun?" Abigail asked and she roughly shoved El forward onto the ground.

At the sudden press against the ground, El's belongings fell askew across the cement. She wiped her chin as she sat up along the cement, "I'm more concerned about your life," she muttered, close to a whisper as she picked herself from the ground.

"My life? What could you possibly gain by being concerned about me?" Abigail asked grabbing El's hair and pulled El closer to her. "I mean, I'll still beat your ass, even if you are concerned."

El cringed at the pull along her skull, her body shuddering a bit. She squinted her eyes and glowered upon Abigail, "Don't say I never warned you..."

Abigail rolled her eyes and shoved El away. She casually walked around to face her, and she lifted her perfectly manicured hand to strike El with it, yet something held her arm back.  
"I believe you've done enough to El," muttered Jay as she appeared behind Abigail and clutched roughly onto her wrist.

Abigail raised an eyebrow upon this, and stared at where her wrist was held, she shoved her arm back in an attempt to release it, though, she glowered upon Jay, "What the fuck is it with this school and being infested by a bunch of freaks?"

Jay ignored this comment and clutched onto Abigail's wrist tighter. "Now, on request of my dear friend, El, I will not kill you. But I swear you ever touch like that again and I will not hesitate to rip this arm from its socket," she said with a warm smile on her face as she laughed lightly at Abigail.

Abigail winced at the touch, however, before she could state any form of insult (like she had so clearly planned), Jaden had appeared at her side. He stood looking just as godly as he usually would in the illumination of the day. He placed an arm firmly around her waist and placed his other hand where Jay held her wrist, "Did you make _another_ enemy, Abbie?" he laughed lightly and kissed her cheek, "You have to learn how to not be such a tease, sometimes."

Jay pulled her hand back and rolled her eyes. "You should warn your little toy here, not to mess with my sister anymore," Jay said looking to Jaden her eyes set in a glare. "And I just dare her to lay another finger on her," she said her voice smooth and professional as she stepped next to El, placing her hand on her shoulder.

El was timid at Jay's side, however Abigail offered a scowl; the corner of her lip twitching partially. Jaden restrained her properly, however, his ears caught the sound of a sudden whirring of a machine. He ignored it for the time being, as Abigail began to speak. Her words were strained and firm, "You pathetic little bi--"  
She had cut herself off as the sound of helicopter was heard from above, she cringed at the sudden noise as she looked up to see a large UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, flying dangerously close to the school grounds. El watched this as well, a horrid feeling sinking in her stomach as she watched it. She leaned over and whispered to Jay beside her, "...Jay. I don't think that's just a helicopter."

"Yeah, I know. He's been following Bee since he picked me up," Jay muttered looking to the helicopter that drew even closer to the ground.

"...But, if it_ is_ one of them..." El muttered, taking a breath as she now witnessed the machine land in a hush just at the front of the school, "That means we'll have to fight it..." she then looked to Abigail and then to Jaden, cringing at the thought.

"C'mon it's not that bad, maybe they'll leave you alone afterwards. It's time to show everyone at this pathetic school what Gabriella Dellon is really made of," Jay said grinning.

"Honestly, I prefer 'Witwicky'," El then corrected, smiling lightly, "But...." she then looked to helicopter and cringed as the metal bent and shaped itself. There were sudden screams from student as they raced to their cars. The atmosphere suddenly tensed as students had raced to their own vehicles or school buses, as the helicopter began to stand. It towered at an immense twenty-eight feet, its black metal shining and his scarlet eyes darting over the area until it pinpointed itself upon Jay.  
At this point, Bumblebee was already up on his feet, his left arm forming into an energy cannon and firing shots to the newly entered machine. This action did not help the fact of the stressed students fleeing for their precious lives. Jaden and Abigail had stood and stared, mouth agape as their eyes had widened at the sight before them.

Jay rolled her eyes and pushed past Jaden and Abigail. "If you two value your lives, then I suggest you run," she said and looked back to El. "C'mon. Jacob and the others are on their way so they can help. Jacob said for us to help Bee in whatever way we can," she said and casually walked toward the giant robots that had begun to spar, metal and flares beginning to fly.

El was uncertain for a moment but then sighed, running a hand through her short hair. She looked to Abigail and Jaden, smiling, as she formed clearly into her Mecha form, "I'd listen to her, if I were you," she said simply, but then darted forward, as a black metal mask fell over her eyes and her arm formed into a cannon.

Jay smirked at the two teens that still cowered. "You aren't gonna bug her much now, huh?" she asked with a smirk as she followed El's lead and transformed into her almost nonexistent armor, her mask covering her mouth and nose.

El had not turned back to see the surely shocked expressions along her fellow classmates' face, instead, she began focusing on what would be her first battle. She cringed for a moment, just at the foot of the large robots (though, Bumblebee was considerable smaller then the other); however, she shook off the intimidating fear and began to dart about, shooting a series of blasts to the 'helicopter'.

Jay followed El and formed her hand into a cannon. "El, don't just shoot idly, look for a weak spot and take advantage of it," Jay said and aimed of a place just under the robots head and fired.

"I'm new at this, all right?" El pouted, but did as she was told, aiming her cannon toward the large machine, being careful not to interfere with Bumblebee. She muttered quietly to herself, "Weak spot...weak spot...Where the heck is it?" she narrowed her eyes and stared up to it and shot to an area of exposed wire just at the side of its head.

The giant robot stumbled slightly holding the spot where El had shot. He glared at the tiny Mecha before him and formed his arm into a rather large cannon and fired it at El.

El blinked for a moment and stood, her feet planted to the ground. Her lower lip shook, as she stared up to the immense blast aimed toward her. The size of the flare itself intimidated her, and she took a gulp down her dry throat, "...oh shit."

A figure soon lunged at El and shoved her out of the way, tackling her to the ground in the process. "Damn it! What is it with you girls and just standing around?" Jacob asked in an irritated tone as he hovered over El, pinning her to the ground after tackling her.

El blinked, her cheeks suddenly flushed at the sight of Jacob just above her, "I..." she began, but had started again, "It's not my fault! Did you see the size of that thing?! Now get off me!"

"Geez, I save you life and I get yelled at," Jacob muttered and stood holding his hand out to help El up. "Just don't do it again. In battle there's no time for you to be afraid, besides I'm here so there's no reason for you to be scared."

El let out a sigh and wiped away the dirt at the side of her cheek from when she had collided to the ground. She paused for a moment, but took his hand, "Just help us finish this helicopter-thing off..."

"Sure, sure," Jacob muttered and looked to the giant robot letting out a small laugh. "I think my sister's a monkey," he muttered and watched as Jay climbed up to the robot's head to get a better shot at the place on his neck. Jacob grinned as he subconsciously still clutched El's hand.

El had shaken her head, smiling lightly, "C'mon," she stated, as she now tugged at his hand (not letting go just yet). She aimed her cannon once more at the robot, now making sure to not hit Jay as well. Narrowing her eyes at the same place she had shot previously, she fired another round of blasts to its head.

Jay glanced down and hopped out of the way just as the blasts hit the giant robot. "Not so tough now, huh, Mr. Helicopter thing," she said smirking, but she gasped when he lifted his cannon to his shoulder where Jay was standing and began to charge it. "Oh shit..." she murmured and lunged out of the way just in time to miss the mass of the blast, yet she didn't make it out unscathed. Along her back a long large gash formed as the beam brushed her skin. "Ow, ow, ow..."

"Shit," Jacob then declared as he had watched this, and with a sigh, he released El's hand to jerk forward and begin to assist his sister. Both his arms had formed into cannons and he quickly began to shoot at the metal beast that towered above. The blasts of energy were joined by another form of scarlet light. Claudia stood just at the side of the robot, one arm up and aiming carefully.

Jay winced and jumped from her perch on the robots shoulder, landing gracefully on the ground. She looked to El and grinned, "Don't ever taunt giant robots," she muttered and took a spot to fire at the giant robot from afar.  
Jacob looked at his sister and rolled his eyes. "I could have told you that, Jasmine."

El shook her head, smiling uneasily; though, she then aimed for the robot again. She narrowed her eyes, "...Who they heck is this guy, anyway?" she muttered to herself, before shooting once again at the immense robot. This time, however, it was not a matter of energy, but instead sound waves that were produced from the barrel of her cannon. They rippled against the frame of the robot with a high-pitched humming sound. For a moment, it did not seem to cause much affect, though, El then winced partially as words and thoughts flooded her head. It had literally been seconds once she recoiled her cannon back, however, her head throbbed severely and she had attempted to regain her breath as she stumbled back. She quickly formed her arm back into a human limb as she whispered to herself, raising her eyebrows, "...So, _that's_ who you are. Vortex."

Jacob blinked and darted to El's side, his hands as human limbs once more as she grabbed her shoulders to steady her. "How did you figure that out?" he asked as he looked back to the giant robot that Claudia, Jay, and Bumblebee continued to attack.

El looked from Vortex and back to Jacob, putting a hand to her head as it continued to ache, "I'm...not really sure. I just aimed and fired, then, I know everything about him. His past, his thoughts - his entire life. He's Ivana's guardian. When you took her, he was very, er...angry. Now he's trying to find her again. Vortex recognized Jay as being partially responsible for taking Ivana away, and he figures he can find out where she is by forcing it out of Jay...but he's...really pissed off."

"Figures," Jacob muttered and looked to Jay. "Way to go, sis. You pissed off the giant robot!" he yelled and sighed.

Jay blinked and looked to Jacob arching an eyebrow. 'Excuse me? Um... you were the one who carried her away after Feli knocked her out," she said wincing once more as she twisted around.

"We'll deal with this later!" Claudia suddenly declared and looked to Felicia who was positioned at the side, monitoring the battle and studying Vortex's movements for some sort of pattern, "Fe`! Take care of Jay and El did you manage to find his weak spot?"

While Felicia had quickly bolted to Jay's side and set her hand along the wound (wincing as she did so), El had turned her hand once more into a cannon and aimed at Vortex's head, just in between his scarlet eyes, and fired large emerald energy blasts, "There."

Jacob sighed and stood beside El, holding up his cannon and aimed for where El had just shot. "Y'know, I think you're doing better than Jasmine did on her first battle. No scrapes on that pretty little body of yours yet," he murmured as her fired and blast toward Vortex.

At his words, El's cheeks flashed a violent pink, however, she glowered at the spot where she was firing, "Just shuddup and fight..."

Jacob just laughed and wrapped an arm around El's waist, glancing behind him as he continued to fire at Vortex.

El quivered at the touch, though, at this point, she had given up merely continuing to shoot beams of light upon Vortex, though, she paused in her actions as she looked up to Bumblebee. She shouted up to him as she pulled back her cannon, "Bumble! Take a shot at his metal skull!"

Bumblebee nodded and held up his arm forming it back into a cannon. He aimed for Vortex's head and fired.

The immense blast collided against Vortex's metal; the light illuminating off his frame. Within moments he had stumbled back, a decent mass taken from one side of his head and down his neck and shoulder. He was a hunched over now, his hand clutched over his face as his bright red eyes shone through his spread fingers. It had taken a moment, however, Vortex slumped upon his knees as he somehow managed to form back in a helicopter. As his engines sputtered and whirred, he then retreated into the air, but with obvious difficulty. Vortex hovered for a moment, losing and gaining height as he strained to keep his frame within the air. With one large start of his engines, he flew off into the air before he could come any closer to death.

Jay blinked and stared after the helicopter. "You coward!" she yelled and rolled her eyes and turned to look at Jacob and El. "Jacob, let go of her..."

At her words, El had been drawn back into reality to realize the truth of Jay's words. She stared at where Jacob held her and grimaced.  
Jacob merely grinned arrogantly, and as he looked back to Jay, releasing his arm from El, but trailing it to the small of her back instead.  
"What...What was that for, anyway?" El then questioned, shoving herself away from Jacob and beside Jay instead.

"You had an audience, and I had to let them know you were off limits," Jacob said glaring over his shoulder.  
"Jacob, you're impossible, you know that right?" Jay asked as she shook her head.

At this, Jacob had ignored her, however, El had released out a heavy sigh as she once more came to discover the students gathered around the front of the school, staring in awe. She looked over to the road now, noticing the familiar semi truck, GMC, and hummer just at its edge. She could not blame them for not trying to get any more attention that had already been presented. El, then, looked up to Bumblebee with a pout, "Bumble...Can you _please _get us out of here, before the newscast shows up?"

Bumblebee nodded and silently returned to his Camaro state, doors opened. He revved his engine urging El and Jay to hurry.

Jay sighed and looked around at the awestruck humans. "Guess, our cover's blown a little, huh?" she muttered and walked quickly over to Bumblebee.

El nodded faintly as she now climbed into the drivers seat, "Just a bit...The rest of high school's going to be hell now..."

"Maybe not, you never know. You could have newfound fame now," Jay said but blinked as Jacob walked over to the car. "What do you want?"

Jacob leaned against the Camaro, his eyes darting to the area just across the street, clouded by cars just at the edge of the sidewalk, "We had a big audience today," he began, before looking to El and back to Jay, grinning, "And El forgot to say goodbye."

"Jacob, you make it sound like she's never going to see you again..." Jay muttered and rolled her eyes looking out over the crowd of people that still watched the group.

"You never know," Jacob said simply, and shrugged, though, he still smiled, however, this was interrupted as Bumblebee jerked forward, his engine revving. Jacob stumbled forward a bit, but had regained his composure and glowered at the car.

Jay laughed slightly and looked to El. "Just say goodbye to the loser so we can go," she said and looked back out the window her white eyes still scanning the crowd.

El made a small moan, but she leaned out of the window and said, with no effort of enthusiasm, "Bye, Jacob."

Jacob grinned and leaned down and gently brushed his lips against El's. "Bye El," he muttered and scampered away before either Jay or Bumblebee could kill him.

The moment he had had left, El's cheeks had burned a deep pink as she slumped down in her seat. She placed her hands over her lips as her eyes widened a bit, as she was in a complete hush. Apart from this incident, the cars scrambled on by along the black pavement; a blur against the trees that sat innocently on the opposite side of the road. Leaned against the tree, Michael was positioned. His hand clutched onto the bark as he watched the edge of the road. His eyes, sparkling just as beautifully as they always would, were set perfectly along Jay.


	5. Chapter Four

Okay. Chapter Four. Enjoy. 3

* * *

C h a p t e r – F o u r

Jay growled and gripped onto the steering wheel as she glared out the front window of the cab of the semi-truck she was forced to drive. She let out a heavy sigh and banged her head against the wheel grumbling. "I swear... I'm going to slaughter him..." she murmured and looked up just as the streetlight ahead of her changed from red to green.

"Er...You've been saying that the entire time," spoke Michael. He sat just beside her, eyebrows raised as he watched her and smiled uneasily, "I'm not the one you're gonna kill, right? Cause, if I am, I'd like to get out at the next stoplight."

Jay sighed and looked over to Michael, smiling slightly. "No, it's not you. It's my brother, he's just driving me up the wall," she muttered and shook her head. "If it's bugging you I'll keep all my wishes to kill him in my head, and let him have it later."

Michael ran a hand through his hair, his smile still uneasy as he watched her, "Um, yah...What he do to get you so ticked, anyway?"

"He won't stop flirting with my best friend, and I'm also his twin so that means I'm cursed with Twin telepathy. And it doesn't help that we're a weird set of twins so I hear _everything _he thinks," Jay said rolling her eyes. "It's a blessing and a curse."

"Well, how about we draw your mind away from his," Michael then suggested, his smile now collected as he leaned back in his seat.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Jay asked glancing at Michael, only daring to look at him for a split second so she could keep from getting distracted.

"Distraction," Michael said, though, he grinned a bit more broadly now as he said only this one word.  
Jay looked to Michael, and into his breath-taking eyes. "Distraction... right," she muttered after regaining her breath and forcing herself to look away from Michael and stare at the road in front of her.

Michael laughed gently, but he collected himself and tilted his head to look at Jay, smiling before he spoke a gain, "I mean, 'distraction' as in...How about a date with me this Friday night?"

Jay looked to Michael in disbelief. "What?" she asked as her gaze was once more trapped by his eyes. She could have sworn she felt her heart skip a beat as she heard these words from Michael.

"A date. You know; when two people get together and have dinner. I was personally thinking of that new Italian place just at the edge of the city," Michael grinned, running a hand through his hair, but his expression dropped a bit, "Unless you don't want too."

Jay shook her head and grinned. "I know what a date is, Michael. I was just in shock. I don't get asked out very often," she muttered smiling meekly, as she once more forced her eyes to focus on the road.

Michael merely smiled at her words, his expression soft as he now urged for a more definite answer to his previous question, "So is that a yes or a no?"  
"Do you honestly think I would be mean and say no?" Jay asked, a wide grin crossing her lips.  
"Then it's settled," Michael grinned so that he seemed like a small child of five, "You and me. Friday, six o'clock. Italian."  
Jay looked to Michael and shook her head sighing slightly. "Can I ask you something?" she asked meekly.

At the sudden question, Michael's expression softened partially as he looked to her with his brilliant sea green eyes, "Sure. What is it?" his voice was soft and gentle, caressed by concern along each syllable as he spoke.  
"Well, uh, I was just wondering," Jay paused and mentally slapped herself, as she began again, "if you'd like chance to drive instead of just having to watch me. You're never going to learn how to actually drive it if you don't ever get to drive." Jay bit her lower lip to hold back an ashamed groan.

Michael looked at her for a moment, as if he was unsure if this was Jay's real question to be asked. He then brought himself to speak as he leaned back in his chair, "Er, yah. Sure. Tomorrow, I'll take over driving, then."

Jay sighed heavily and leaned forward so she was hovering over the steering wheel as she waited for another streetlight to change. "So, just out of curiosity, how many serious relationships have you had?" she asked in hopes of bringing up some kind of conversation.  
"I've had a couple relationships, but nothing _that_ serious," Michael began as he leaned against the window and stared to the outside scenery, "And how about you?"  
"To be completely honest, I've never had a guy stick with me for longer than a week," Jay muttered meekly. "They all said I was too anti-social."  
At this, Michael had stared at her as though she had sprouted wings and grown a tail, "You're kidding, right? _Anti-social_...?" he questioned, unsure at this.

"Yeah, believe it or not I used to be a loner big time. I suppose being shunned by your adopted parents does that to you," Jay said and shrugged. "Plus what guy in their right mind would want a girl with an ugly scar covering her face seen with them?" she muttered rolling her eyes in disgust.  
For a moment, Michael was uncertain about what to say. He ran a hand through his hair as he stared out through the window, "Does is matter whether or not one person has a scar or not? A relationship shouldn't solely be passed on looks, but, if it helps, the first time I saw you, I never noticed that scar, only your personality and how you stood out. Not because of what's on your face, but because of how you presented yourself in front of me."  
Jay was slightly taken aback by these words. "B-But you can't just say it doesn't bother you in some way. You may not have noticed it at first but you still had to notice it, everyone does," she said; her voice low and her eyes focused on the road.

"Sure, I noticed it, but it doesn't really matter to me. Whether you had a scar or not, you're still going to be Jay," Michael said, his eyes still set to the world that passed just outside Optimus's window.

Jay smiled slightly and looked to Michael. "You know, you're so different from all the other guys I've known," she said and grinned slightly. "You probably wouldn't even care if I wasn't even human, huh?" she asked in a light, semi-joking tone.  
Michael merely laughed gently as he now turned his head to look at her, "Jay, I could care less if you had horns and a fish tail."

"Well, let's not go that far. I think that would draw more attention that a silly scar," Jay said smiling brightly, her focus gone almost completely from the road she was supposed to be watching.  
Michael shrugged, smiling still, as Optimus revved his engine and took over the wheel, straightening his position on the road. Lifting his head slightly, Michael spoke lightly, "So what? Jay is Jay."  
Jay shook her head and looked back to the road, allowing Optimus to take over the driving completely, though she kept her hands on the wheel to cover this fact. "So, why exactly would someone so... well nearly perfect want to ask someone with so many issues out on a date?" she asked meekly as she stared at the road.  
"I'd think what I said would be enough of a giveaway," Michael replied, teasingly as he glanced to Jay with a small tone of laughter.  
"I just don't see why, that's all. Being a loner for who knows how long robs you of all sense of understanding of things like this," Jay muttered looking to Michael, and once more her eyes were trapped with his.

Michael merely smiled at her perplexity, his head tilted down partially as he watched her and his hair falling down the edges of his face, "That's why," he said simply, more to himself then to Jay as he now looked out the window.

Jay shook her head and broke her gaze from Michael's. "What was that?" she asked as she returned her gaze to the road, confusion written in her white eyes.  
"Oh, nothing," Michael shrugged, though; he continued to smile as he gazed out the window beside him.  
Jay glanced back to Michael and shook her head. "How do you ever expect me to understand if you don't tell me?" she asked a hint of pure innocence in her voice.  
"Understanding comes best if you learn it on your own," Michael said simply, though, his voice was obviously playful as he pronounced each term.  
Jay sighed and rolled her eyes. "I hate having to learn stuff myself," she muttered as she let out a small sigh.

Michael laughed gently upon her words, "You'll thank me," he said now, grinning to her.

Jay looked to Michael and couldn't help but smile. "That's what they all say," she said, as she locked her eyes with his once more.

After a moment, Michael had spoken up again, glancing to the street, "Er. Don't take this the wrong way, but shouldn't you be looking at the road?" he suggested, smiling uneasily.

Jay blinked and glanced ahead of her. "I suppose I should," she murmured and then added under her breath, hoping to keep the statement to herself, "but I'd rather look at something more interesting..."

Only catching a small portion of the added section, Michael arched an eyebrow and urged to figure the remainder of the sentence, "You'd rather what...?"

"Nothing, I said nothing at all," Jay said a small hint of pink crossing her cheeks.  
Michael now grinned at this, his eyes running down her flushing cheeks, "Are you sure?"  
"Yes, I'm positive," Jay muttered as she glanced over to Michael.

Michael laughed once more and looked to the road in front of him, "You'll tell me someday," he said quietly.

Jay laughed at this and shook her head. "What makes you so sure about that?"

"I'm sure about a lot of things," Michael responded rather coolly as he continued to watch the passing street.  
Jay rolled her eyes and stayed silent for a while. She groaned slightly as the new building of their work came into view. The truck soon came to a stop and the engine went silent. Jay leaned against the steering wheel her chin rested on her crossed arms. "So, guess this marks the end of another thrilling day of delivering food," she said in a distant tone.

For a moment, Michael seemed to be disappointed as he ran a hand through his hair. He then sighed and looked over to Jay. For a moment, he debated his actions, though; he leaned over and gently kissed her cheek. He brought his lips up to her ear and smiled, "Remember. 6'oclock." With that, he exited the truck and headed into the building.  
Jay's eyes widened as Michael did this. Her heart quickened and her cheeks burned as she stared after him. After a while a widen grin crossed her lips and she leaned back in her seat and sighed dreamily. "Maybe this job isn't as bad as it seems."

Once Michael had left from sight, Optimus revved his engine, before his voice spoke gently through the radio, "Jay, you wish to have a relationship with that human...?"  
Jay tilted her head and poked at the steering wheel. "Is there something wrong with me liking Michael?" she asked confused by the reasoning behind Optimus's question.  
Immediately, Optimus spoke again, "No, there isn't, but sometimes humans can be difficult when the subject relates to those who are...different."  
"I don't think he'll be too difficult on that matter. You heard what he said," Jay muttered as she smiled slightly.

Optimus again contemplated this, before he spoke; his voice, this time, more certain, "Yes, I suppose you're right," he trailed off, in thought for a moment. He revved his engine once again, "Alright. Who would you rather take you home?"

"Depends, how much leaderly stuff do you have to do? Cause I'd hate to cut into whatever it is you leaders do," Jay muttered as she leaned forward and rested her head on the steering wheel.

The engine sputtered in laughter, as Optimus spoke again, "I can afford to take you home at least one night."  
"Good, you've been neglecting me a little," Jay muttered and laughed. "And you wouldn't want to fail in your responsibilities."

"Let's just get you home," Optimus had responded calmly, though, were he not a vehicle at the moment; he would be smiling lightly as he began to drive down the road.

Jay yawned slightly and shook her head to wake herself a little. "If you insist Optimus," she muttered, smiling.

This time, there was no response from the radio, only the sound of Optimus's engine heightening as he gained speed upon the black tar road. This was the only noise that was pronounced through the large semi truck, as it drove upon the road to Jay's (or technically El's) home, only the caress of the chilled wind brushing against the metal.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day followed, the weather chilling and freezing in the time of month, so that small crystal drops of snow tumbled to the ground similar to a scene of ballet. The gentle flakes of white swirled gently to the ground, but dissolved instantaneously once touching the rigid cement. Simply becoming a small drop of water across the vast solid river of black. This continued into the gentle courtyard of Eliot High School. Each individual drop falling onto the empty trees and frosted grass. The large square area was adorned with benches and evergreen trees, as well as students roaming at its edges during the afternoon hour. El was just one of the several people, though, unlike the majority, she was in a hush as she sat upon one of the benches. Her bag and belongings were positioned at her side, as a small notebook was placed in her lap as she wrote. She scribbled words and thoughts along the paper, in a desperate way to block out the stares and comments that were spread across the area. El's hearing had become far more sensitive as of late. Each word seemed to be shouted and pronounced straight to her eardrum, to join her thumping heart clogged in her throat. Students walked dangerously close to her, as they murmured words to one another, whispering and pronouncing each sentence so clearly in the winter air. El ignored it, with a deep struggle as her throat dried and she continued to write with her quill pen.

"You know, it's amazing I didn't think you could be anymore of a freak," said a male voice from behind El. There stood Jaden, seeming out of place without his usual ornament on his arm, leaned against the trunk of one of the trees.

At the words, El's body tensed. Her hand grasped upon the pen within her hand a bit more tightly. For a moment, she had hesitated; however, she turned her head and looked to Jaden. Her hair was partially askew over her eyes as they widened a bit at the sight of Jaden. It was odd. All her high school life, El had always considered Jaden to be a Greek god, though, at this moment, she couldn't feel anymore out of place in his presence. Her expression fell a bit as she reran his words in her head. El looked back to her notebook and began to scribble drawings of Bumblebee along the paper, "...You and everyone else were not supposed to know," she spoke, though her words were strained as she was having difficulty pronouncing them.

"Well, whose fault is it that we know? It's not mine, I know that for sure," Jaden muttered as he pushed himself up from his leaned position and approached El. He leaned over the bench and grabbed the notebook from El and rolled his eyes at it. "Damn, you having a love affair with your car or something? I mean what freak would be complete without their own freak of a car."

At this insult, El then stood from her seat and faced Jaden properly. Her cheeks were flushed, and she found her hands clenched partially, however, her heart raced rapidly as she looked up to Jaden, "_Don't_ insult Bumble..." she muttered, but then hurriedly began again, "And would you rather have been dead? You're only alive because I decided to do something about it..."

Jaden laughed a snide laughed and looked through the notebook in his hand. "Actually, if memory serves, you didn't decide anything. That freak who said she was your _'sister' _decided for you," he muttered and stopped flipping through the notebook. He smirked and pulled the page he was looking at from the binding and held up a picture of Bumblebee that looked as though it took hours to complete.

El's eyes trailed to the drawing held up before her. Her heart thumped as she watched the complex 'doodle' sway before her. Each line was presented smoothly along the sheet from the nib of her pencil. That one sketch had taken El's patience and motivation to its edge, and at the sight of it simply held so carelessly allowed El's stomach to twist into knots, "Jaden..._Please_. Put. That. Back."

"And why should I? What are you gonna do to me if I mess it up?" Jaden asked as he messed with the edge of the drawing tearing it ever so slightly. "I mean, you couldn't even stand up to Abs, you had someone else to it. You may be an all powerful robotic freak, but you're still just a spineless little coward."

Again, El's heart had jumped into her throat. Her lower lip shook as she looked up to him from her height, inches below him. At her side, her arm had formed in a shimmering cannon; however, she did not move it from her side, as she looked up to him in a hush. She watched, nervously, where the paper was to be ripped, though, she could not move from her spot, only speak in a quavering voice and the corners of her eyes welled with wet droplets of tears, "..._This..._is how you friggin thank me and all the other 'freaks' who got rid of Vortex the other day. You and that bitch you call 'Abs' would be in the middle of the funerals right now, along with the rest of this place. _To think_ that I actually thought you might be a decent guy. You are no better then that slut," the words flooded suddenly from her lips, as though she were simply breathing, however, she was exhaling and inhaling heavily and her cannon was shaking at her side.

Jaden glared at El and began to rip the sheet of paper in his hands once more; though, before he could do any real damage to the drawing it hand been quickly taken from his hands. Jacob stood next to El now, his white eyes set on Jaden in a scowl. Jacob wrapped an arm around El's waist and pulled her toward him, as he nudged her arm that was a cannon, urging her to make it disappear. "El, is this jerk bugging you?" he asked in a protective tone.

At the touch of Jacob's hand trailed about her hip, El had quivered, bringing herself back to the reality of the situation. She looked to the ground and wiped away a spill of tears that trailed down her cheek, as she formed her other arm back into its original human state. El lifted her head only partially as she looked up to Jaden from under her eyelashes, as she then spoke in her shaking voice, "Jaden...is just being Jaden."

Jacob's eyes never left Jaden's face as he tightened his grip on El. "You know, it's not nice to make a beautiful young lady cry, no matter what she may be," he muttered as he looked from Jaden to El, resting his cheek against the top of El's head.

Jaden scoffed as he looked upon Jacob. He ran a hand through his honey hair, as his eyes were trapped with Jacob's as he returned the forceful glare, "What she is? She's not even _human... _just a _freak of nature_. And you, you're just another one of _them_."

Jacob growled and let go of El, grabbing the collar of Jaden's shirt and lifting him from the ground. "We happen to be the one thing standing between the human race and its demise. We are some of the most advanced creatures on this planet and you will learn to respect us one way or another," he said as his white eyes flickered with rage.  
Upon this action, Jaden's eyes had widened a bit as he watched Jacob, however, he shoved and pulled at Jacob's hand that clutched upon him, "_Get the fuck off me_!" he declared, his eyes now narrowed as he watched Jacob, "I'll never _'respect'_ anyone like your friggin race, no matter how fucking 'advanced' you are, you ass!"

Jacob's eyes narrowed as he heard these words. "You know, it's jerks like you who give guys a bad name," he muttered and without hesitation he swiftly lifted his hand and punch Jaden in the face; though, he with held a good bit of his strength so he wouldn't 'accidentally' kill Jaden. Jacob dropped Jaden and walked back to El wrapping his arm back around her. "C'mon, you don't need to be around rubbish like that. It's bad for your health."

El shook partially as he watched Jaden stumble upon the ground, and cursing repeatedly along the pale grass. It took a moment, however, El nodded and reached to grab her belongings along the bench. She once more rubbed off the droplets of tears that were held at the edge of her eyelashes. Looking from Jaden and back to Jacob, she muttered softly as she now stared to the ground, "...Thank you."

Jacob grinned and placed his hand under El's chin lifting her face to his. "Hey, you should know, no one upsets my El and gets away with it," he murmured and gently kissed her forehead.

As his lips were upon her skin, El's cheeks had flushed a light pink, though, she had ignored this, as she was more concerned about the rapid thumping of her heart in her eardrums. After a moment, she looked away and muttered softly, "Can I...have my drawing back now?"

Jacob laughed and held the slip of paper up for El to get. "I think we should get out of here before the jack ass over there decides to piss me off again," he said shooting a quick glare at Jaden.

Once El had retrieved the sheet and placed it gently in one of her notebooks, she looked to Jaden, then to the several people who had gathered around to view the event, and back to Jacob, "...Er...yah. That'd be nice; I'd rather not have people staring at me for the rest of the day, again."

"Then c'mon, you can afford to miss a little school, right?" Jacob grinned and grabbed El's hand enlacing his fingers with hers.

For a moment, El had to think, however, she had, inevitably, nodded, "Let's just leave," she stated softly as she clutched the strap of her bag, and attempted to ignore the fact that hers and Jacob's hands were now intertwined.

Jacob smiled and gently pulled El from the courtyard of the school. "So where should we go to help you forget about that?" he asked and stopped just outside the school standing in front of El smiling sincerely at her.  
El looked at him, tilting her head, "...I...really have no place _to _go. That I know of, anyway," she muttered softly, lifting her head a bit as her eyes gazed up to Jacob's, "Unless you have a suggestion."

Jacob leaned down and placed his forehead against El's. "Honestly I'm perfectly fine just standing here with you," he said with a grin.

El's cheeks flushed at his words and she leaned back partially, "You really haven't changed, huh, Jacob?" she muttered softly, though, if one would pay close attention, there was a small smile on her lips.

"The only thing that's changed about me is my appearance, I'm still the same old Jacob," he muttered and wrapped one arm around El's waist pulling her against his body, while he kept his other hand enlaced with hers.

In her response, El's cheeks had brightened partially as her heart beat matched the sudden pulsing of blood through her body, "I...know where I want to go, now," she suddenly stated, looking up to Jacob with her chestnut eyes.  
"You do? And where would that be?" Jacob asked gently, his white eyes locked with El's chestnut pair.

"I've never exactly seen the city, before," El responded, her voice soft as she struggled to keep her stature straight as she drawn into the white of Jacob's eyes, "I mean...I've driven through it before, but I've never _really _seen it."

"Then the city it is," Jacob muttered as he kissed El's forehead and released his grip on El's waist while keeping their fingers locked together. He then led her away from where she normally would have gone to leave the school lot and to a lone sleek black sports car. "We can't very well take Bumblebee, he'd tattle on us."

"Or worse, he'd force me to go back into that school," El said gently, though, her eyes trailed to the vehicle, at awe for a moment as she approached it at Jacob's side, "_This_ is yours?"

"Yeah, parents left me a little money in their will and I got this with it," Jacob said shrugging. He walked to the passenger's side and opened the door and waited for El to get in.

With a smile, El had taken her seat, slinking into the thick black leather seat, "But of course," she began softly, "My parents didn't leave me money, but they did give me Bumble. So, I suppose I can relate."

Jacob laughed and closed El's door and took his place in the driver's seat. "Well, I can assure you, my car isn't an alien robot," he said jokingly and started the car.

A small giggle was emitted from El's lips, "I can't remember the last time I've been in a car that doesn't turn into something over fifteen feet tall...It's a nice change," she responded, smiling as she leaned against the window and watched as the car began to drift away from school property.

"And I bet it's probably nice to be able to talk without someone eavesdropping, huh?" Jacob asked as he quickly glanced to El and then back to the road ahead of him.

"Tell me about it...Last time we were in a car together, it didn't help that Bumblebee was listening to me being sappy and biting off your head," El responded, though, surprisingly, she managed to smile as she looked to Jacob.

"Yeah, that was a little awkward, I couldn't say half of what I wanted to because your car was listening. I mean he's already tried to run over me for what I said and did anyway," Jacob murmured and sighed slightly.

Lifting her head at this newly discovered information, El's expression was rather perplexed, "_He tried to run you over_?" she questioned, unsure whether she had heard correctly.

"Yeah, the only reason he didn't was because I just happened to have Jay asleep in my arms," Jacob said smiling meekly as he glanced at El.

El sighed heavily and ran a hand through her silky hair, "Er...I'm sorry on behalf of my alien car, seeing as he probably won't apologize himself," she shifted her vision to the side at this fact.

Jacob laughed and reached over running his fingers down El's arm and grabbing her hand. "Don't worry about it. I would have run over me too."

Cheeks burning at the touch, El settled her vision, uneasily, outside the window, "Jacob, you said you didn't get to say all you wanted to the other night. What more was there to say?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Jacob teased, grinning at El.  
El turned her head to look at Jacob, with a roll of her eyes, "Yup...same old Jacob," she muttered and groaned, slumping in her seat as she crossed her legs.

Jacob laughed and smiled brightly, looking back to the road. "So, what exactly do you want to see in the city?"

"That depends," El responded, now looking over to Jacob, curiosity in her eyes, "What do _you_ recommend?"  
"Well, actually the best sites are just outside the city," Jacob said smiling. "Y'know, woods and fields and lakes and all the stuff that you normally don't see anymore."

"Then, I want you take me there," said El, her voice gentle and similar to silk as she spoke. She looked up to him from her position, her eyes large and innocent as chocolate swirled within the pools of the iris. She spoke again, her lips spread into a smile, "Please."

"Your wish is my command," Jacob said his voice matching El's. Within a matter of minutes Jacob had parked his car in the midst of a large field just outside of the city. He looked out from under the hood looking at the sky, which had begun to darken a little. "Looks like rain..." he murmured to himself.

To his words, El sighed softly and messed with a strand of her hair, "A little rain isn't so bad. You'll just to deal with me looking like a drowned rat," she responded, smiling uneasily.

Jacob laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure you'll look perfectly fine, even as a drowned rat," he said and sat up looking to El.

El looked to him for a moment, uncertain of her choice of words, as a spare strand of emerald hair fell in between her fingers. She glanced out through the window for a moment, and opened the car door, exiting the car. El leaned against its frame and glanced about the area, "Even if it is going to rain, it still seems amazing."

"Yeah, there aren't many places like this anymore," Jacob muttered looking up to the sky. "So, how long do you want to stay out? I'd hate to get your guardian too mad at you."

"I don't think much can change that," El muttered, running a hand through her hair as she watched the sky and waited for a drop of rain to pour at any instant, "I've already ditched school, with you of all people. He'll already be upset with me as it is."

"Yeah, and be warned Jay's ready to slaughter both of us. So I guess it wouldn't really matter. I know I'm already royally screwed," Jacob said with a half-hearted laugh.

A moan was released from El's lips as she slipped down slightly down the side of the car, "..._Great. _Absolutely perfect. Now I have my imminent doom to look forward to," she muttered as she looked up to the sky.

Jacob stood and walked in front of El. "How about we get your mind off that doom, then? You worry about it too much, you'll get wrinkles," he said with a laugh and held his hand out for El.

It was a few moments of debating, before El had took his hand with a sigh, "Wow, thanks. That's one way to look at it," she muttered, her vision shifted to the side.

Jacob smiled and pulled El away from the car and to the center of the field. "Do you realize how much I've missed being with you?" he asked as he wrapped an arm around El's waist pressing her against him.

For a second or so, El was quiet. Her cheeks were flushed against the chill of the air against her skin, "...And do you realize how much hell you've put me through...?" she whispered to him, lifting her chin as she watched his white eyes intently.

"I know, and I'm sorry. Really I am," Jacob muttered as he rested his forehead against El's. "I never wanted to hurt you like that, I know I've said that before, but it's true."

"Jacob..." El began, her voice was soft and gentle as the clouds overhead thundered, "...If you ever left again, you have to realize...that I can never forgive you."

Jacob felt a pang in his chest as El said these words. "Even if it was for your safety? There wouldn't be anyway for me to be forgiven?" he asked his voice even softer and gentler than El's had been.

El's eyes narrowed and examined Jacob's expression carefully, in particular, his soft white eyes, "...I don't want you to center your life around my 'safety'. If I must die, then I'll face my death as such. My life should be my own responsibility..."

"But, how can I not center my life around yours, when my life is you?" Jacob asked his voice a mere whisper.

At the end of his sentence, a drop of water fell against El's cheek. She blinked, surprised at the sudden liquid droplet, cold and numb along her skin. Looking up to the sky, she found rain begin to fall from the boundaries of floating gray, "...I'll be far worse off if you decided to leave again, while I was still alive..." she started, and looked back to Jacob as the rain pitter pattered against her body, and continued, "...then if I were dead."

"El, even if I left I wouldn't be far away. Whether you like it or not, I'm stuck right here," he muttered at he placed his finger on El's chest over her beating heart. The rain began to pick up as the two stood there until it was nearly an all out downpour.

Again, El was stunned for a moment, as she glanced away, "Why must you be so difficult...?" Her wet shirt clung to her body, each curve revealed as the cold water was washed along her it. The material had once been a pure white that hung upon her body, however, it now clasped to each curve of her frame, the color nearly sapped from the fabric. The black fabric of her bra, revealed in the wet atmosphere, held her breasts, soft and lush upon her body. The once dry shirt that had secreted her body, had now betrayed her, merely clinging and discovering each delicate swerve and position. El held her head slightly, her eyes wandering about the area; until she had caught sight of her own body (revealed in the storming rain). The moment her eyes caught sight of her frame, El's cheeks had flashed a violent blush and as she still pressed against Jacob's body, she crossed her hands over her chest in a hush.

Jacob laughed at El's actions and closed his eyes, his head rested on El's. "Don't worry, I won't look, promise," he murmured as he tightened his grip on El.

Still, her cheeks were a decent rose color as water rushed against them. El's chocolate eyes look into the void of white in Jacob's, and she could not help but allow her heart race and thump in her throat. She could not find words to express the emotions that dwelled on her tongue. Her body quivering she whispered as her voice cracked every few syllables, "...Don't leave me..."

Jacob smiled and looked deep into El's eyes. "El, I wouldn't dream of leaving you again," he muttered his face merely inches from El's.

El leaned up a bit, her frame leaned against Jacob's for support, "That's what they always say..." she whispered, her pink lips taunting as they remained dangerously close to Jacob's.

Jacob grinned and tightened his grip on El. "Well, I really mean it," he said and gently closed the small gap between the two, his lips pressed against El's.

It had taken a moment before El could respond, her breathing a bit more rapid as she felt the warm caresses of his breath against her face. However, she acted the same as if it was their first kiss again, back when things had been simpler. Softly, she kissed him in return, her eyes shut as she enjoyed the moment, her heart beating within her chest continuously.

Jacob grinned and after a few moments he broke away from El, his arms wrapped protectively around her. He pressed his forehead against El's as he spoke softly, "El, you know I love you right? And that I would do absolutely everything in my power to make you happy."

"...Y'know, somehow, I don't think I ever doubted that, even when you left," El whispered to him, her soaked hair sticking to the sides of her cheek.

"C'mon, we better get out of this rain before you get sick," Jacob said loosening his grip on El, until all he held was her hand. He leaned down and kissed El's forehead before he began to lead her to his car.

"Can we still look around the city?" El suddenly urged as she glanced up to him, and, as she reminisced for a moment about old times, she had tightened her grip upon his hand.

"You just don't want to go back yet," Jacob said laughing as he looked to El.

"Well, I'd rather not walk to my death just yet," El muttered softly, as she looked to the side as she reached the vehicle, smiling awkwardly.

Jacob laughed again, gently kissed El's cheek. "I guess I don't blame you. My sister and Bumblebee will go easy on you, but me... that's a different story."

"Exactly. So you shouldn't be saying anything about not wanting to go back," El responded, smiling and leaned against the car, her body still exposed in the rain, though, she somehow believed Jacob on his word to 'not look'.

Jacob focused on El's face as he reached past her to open her door for her. "Well, then let's just dry off in here first then we can go somewhere else," he said smiling at El.

"Er...right," El muttered, as she once more realized she was wet from head to toe, and the fact that the rain had yet to cease did not help the matter. With an uneasy laugh, she took her seat within the vehicle.

Jacob closed El's door and quickly walked to his side of the car. He turned the key in the ignition and turned the heater on high. "So, after we dry off, is there anywhere particular you want to go in the city?"

El leaned her head against the window, "I'm up for anything..." she murmured, smiling lightly at the sight of the dazzling city even in such dismal weather, "As long as I don't have to hurry home, just yet."

"Then how about we go shopping? I haven't been able to spoil you in such a long time," Jacob said grinning at El.

"Y'know...I can always pay for my own stuff. I'm not exactly dirt poor," El responded, smiling uneasily to Jacob as she turned her head to face him, black and emerald strands colliding gracefully with her cheeks.

"I know, but what fun is that?" Jacob asked as he leaned over to gently and quickly brush his lips against El's. He smiled at her and ran and hand through her hair, "Besides I'm supposed to spoil you."

Upon his actions, El's cheeks had blushed once more, partially due to the rising heat within the car. She sighed and leaned against him now, listening to his heart beat to grow accustom to its sound once again, "Fine...Just don't go overboard."

"I'm not goinng to make any promises," Jacob murmured and grabbed El, pulling her toward him and kissing her forehead.

El's heart had skipped a beat for a moment; however, she clung to Jacob's body and set her head against his chest. Closing her eyes and curling her body against his frame. Only this simple pleasure of being held in his arms, so close to his beating heart, was able to lull her into a state of pleasure. This much she had missed passionately since they had been apart. His warm breath and the feel of his skin, despite the fact it was noticeably colder then she had remembered, but it was still the same Jacob he had fallen in love with for what seemed to be such a long time ago.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It had literally been hours until they return to her home. El's heart thumped in her throat as she now leaned against Jacob's car placed just at the edge of the road beside her home. Her eyes trailed from the window of Jay's room, the drapery adorned upon the window flapping delicately in the wind, to the golden Camaro that sat alone upon the driveway, "...I'm seriously debating whether I should take another step further..." El muttered quietly to Jacob, as she made sure to stay close enough to the vehicle beside her, so that she could not yet set foot on the property of her home.

"Well, if you don't hurry and go in and face Jay, she's going to come out here herself," Jacob said as he stood next to El, his hand locked with hers. "And she's already stressed enough trying to get ready for a big date tonight."

El made a small moan upon this, and ran a hand through her hair, "So...how pissed is she on a scale of one to ten...?" she muttered as she looked up the driveway to her home.

"I'd say about an eleven," Jacob said smiling uneasily. "But don't worry, she more pissed at me than you."

"Then I suppose I better face the music," El muttered with a sigh and looked down to their interlaced hands, "But you may want to back off just a little I'd rather not have Bumble run you over again, and succeed."

Jacob whimpered and hesitantly let go of El's hand. "Alright, that's the last thing I need. To get run over by an alien car," he murmured and looked up to Jay's window.

El produced yet another sigh from her lips, and without another word to be pronounced, she wandered up the driveway. Quietly and surely she walked with her bag slumped over her shoulder, in attempt to not be heard and perhaps, if luck was on her side, avoid not being interrogated.

Jay stood in the doorway of El's home, her white eyes focused on El and Jacob as they approached. "Y'know, you shouldn't be out without some sort of guardian. Something could have happened and you would have been stuck without help," she murmured acid leaking into her voice.

El was speechless for a moment, only smiling uneasily as she ran a hand through her hair. However, she lifted her head a bit at the sound of whirring mechanics from her Camaro as he went into his seventeen-foot robotic form, and now stood behind both her and Jacob. As panic spread through El's head, Jacob was the first to speak, immediately changing subjects to something that did not involve himself and El, "Er...Hey, Jasmine," he grinned, "Where's the date going to be again? The new Italian place, right? I heard it has great food. Good choice."

Jay glared at her brother and pointed a finger at him threateningly. "You are in enough trouble right now so don't you dare try to change the subject. And my name is JAY for the last time," she muttered threateningly. "Now back to the subject at hand." (Jay paused and cleared her throat.) "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU TWO THINKING!?"  
At the sudden shout, El had winced a bit. She was in a state of hush as she looked off to the side, her stomach sinking, as she clung to her belongings a bit more tightly. In comparison, Jacob was taken aback partially, however, nonetheless he spoke again, "I was _thinking _of getting El away from that damned school and all the asses in it."

"But you shouldn't have let without Bumblebee or something. Do you not realize how dangerous it was to leave like that?" Jay asked standing up straight and glaring at Jacob. "And not to mention, you shouldn't even have been alone with her in the first place," she muttered stepping in front of her brother glaring up at him, her eyes loathsome.

"Jay," El's voice suddenly broke through. From the light and her stature, the innocence of her youth seemed more then bright then before as her expression was fallen and her large eyes had looked up to her from under her lashes, "Jacob had practically saved me from Jaden, back at the school. Since the Vortex incident, he's really become an ass. I have Jacob to thank for doing something about it. The least I could do was give him some sort of time of day without someone listening in to our every word," her eyes had shifted to Bumblebee for a moment, looking up to his hard expression, and back to Jay, uneasily, "And if we're safe right now, the rest shouldn't really matter..."

"But El, still, you should have at least let us know that you were leaving. Do you not realize how worried you had poor Bumblebee? I mean I hear Jacob's thoughts and I would have known if you were safe or not, so I wasn't all that worried, but your poor car was about to have a conniption fit," Jay said letting out a heavy sigh.

El's guilt suddenly rose in the pit of her abdomen, as she awkwardly brushed away a few strands of hair from her expression. She crossed her arms loosely over her chest as she continued to mess with a spare string of emerald hair. She shifted her body partially to look up to Bumblebee. From her height, he seemed particularly intimidating, but, despite this, he was still Bumblebee. She took a breath, her throat dry, and began to speak, "Bumblebee," she began timidly, having to shift her gaze away as to not look him directly in the eye "You should've known I'd be alright. I was safe, I promise, but...that still doesn't make it right that I had worried you so much. I'm sorry," at this point, her voice was partially cracking as she found the correct words to slip from her lips.

Bumblebee looked to El and smiled slightly. "Just do not do it again. I could have gotten reprimanded for letting you leave like that. Luckily Jay was nice enough to tell Optimus what had happened."

El returned his smile faintly and nodded lightly, "So, you're not too angry with me, are you?" she inquired, her voice gentle.

"Not this time, but next time something like this happens I will not be so lenient," Bumblebee murmured.  
"Now, for you Jacob, I'm not through with you. You, mister, are trying my patience," Jay said glaring at Jacob.

Jacob smiled laughed uneasily upon her tone of voice, running a hand through his hair, "Can't we just save this till after your date? I wouldn't want you to be late," he suggested, smiling just as uneasily.

"I have plenty of time, and I'd hate to have pent up rage inside me for fear that I would take it out on him," Jay said smiling maliciously. "Now, stand still and I promise to make this as painless as possible," she muttered and cracked her knuckles.

"Er...Should we really resort to physical violence?" Jacob grinned awkwardly, backing up partially at the sound of her knuckles cracking under the pressure of her fingers, "Whatever happened to a simple debate?"

"That stuff doesn't work with family. Besides I can get away with killing you, no one will ever suspect a thing," Jay said laughing slightly she smirked at her brother. She took a step toward Jacob her white eyes no longer full of rage but now teasing and playful.  
"Um...Don't you have a date to get ready for?" Jacob noted, laughing slightly as he took another step back, uneasy with Jay's expression.

"I already said I have plenty of time. I don't have to be there until six," Jay said grinning at her brother.

But wouldn't you rather be early? I mean, that whole 'fashionably late' thing is getting a bit old," Jacob explained, carefully watching his sister.

"But my dear brother, I can still murder you and get there early," Jay said her white eyes still playful as she stepped toward her brother again.

"I'd rather keep my life, thank you," Jacob retorted, straightening his posture a bit as again ran a hand through his black and red-pink hair.

"Aw, but what fun is that?" Jay asked as she smirked at Jacob.

Jacob had opened his mouth to speak again, however, it was El's voice that had spoken up, "Er...Jacob, Jay..." she muttered, her face shifted toward the distance, where flares of energy swirled within the sky, followed by trails of smoke that billowed gracefully into the evening

Jay followed El's gaze and she whimpered slightly. "Why tonight of all nights? Can't they be nice and let me have a break?" she asked with a pout.

Jacob, however, had a much different reaction, "Saved by the stupid Omega, of all things" he grinned, his body forming into his mechanized state, "Well, might as well take care of this."

Jay groaned and followed Jacob's lead, resuming her Mecha form. "Let's just hurry and get this over with. I have an hour before I have to be ready," she murmured with a growl.

El now did the same; Bumblebee assuming his Camaro form and revving his engine as he faced the direction of the flares. With a sigh, El and managed a small nod to Jay, "C'mon then," she stated simply now, her hair swaying in the gentle breeze, as she now took a bit more of a crouching position and raced into the night, Bumblebee following swiftly behind in the direction of the burning blaze.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Just at the edge of highway and street, a young seventeen year old shoved sparks of brilliant gold into the crimson street. Firework like blazes torching the once perfectly paved road of black. She had a flirty grin upon her ruby lips as she strolled casually at the side of the streets, shoving a number of golden trails of energy to the massacre of vehicles that began to pile up along the highway. Her aquamarine streaked black hair swayed in curls just to her shoulders, her equally brilliant marine eyes darting along the chaos she had created, pleased with her work. The armor that adorned her body was a sparkling pink, fashioned after a Razor brand cell phone, though; it revealed a decent amount of her olive skin, including her smooth stomach and edges around her inner thighs. She giggled slightly and looked up to her twenty-foot comrade, a large and sleek, black robot formed from her corvette. The girl then spoke, her voice high and as if it belonged to a young middle school girl, "So, Hyperdrive, you think they'll show up, _now_?" she questioned, shooting another flare upon the road.

"I think so. You've caused enough chaos to bring an entire planet of curious little Alphas to find to you, Anabella," Hyperdrive said with a small laugh to match his partner's personality.

Anabella, as she was now called, merely grinned up to Hyperdrive, however, she now shifted her head at the sudden sound of a distant revving engine and grinned, "And I think they brought you a decent opponent, too," she declared, with rising excitement in her voice, as she now caught sight of approaching figures, amidst the sparkling flames against the black of night.  
"Good, I've been getting a little rusty. I need a little target practice," Hyperdrive said his tone rising in excitement with Anabella's.  
"Why do the bad guys always have to show up when something important is happening?" asked Jay's voice from amidst the flames. She slowly walked from the shimmering flames and into Anabella and Hyperdrive's vision, her white eyes reflecting the multiple colors of the flames about her.  
"And why can't they give us more of a challenge than just one or two opponents? This isn't any fun," Jacob's voice muttered as he emerged in a way similar to his sister. His white eyes, too, reflected the brilliant flames about him.  
El had followed, at Jacob's left, the fire sparkling and crackling about her frame in an unaffecting manner to El's stature. Her eyes had trailed from Anabella to Hyperdrive, and finally to the chaotic mass of destruction along the highway, "But of course, another Mecha obsessed with destroying for pleasure. What else is new..." she sighed, as her Camaro now skidded to a halt, forming into his robotic form, one of his arms already formed into an energy cannon.

Jay looked to Anabella and smiled politely. "Shall we have introductions before our battle? Or should we just cut to the chase?" she asked forming her arm into a cannon with a grin.

Anabella giggled partially upon her statement, "Oh, I know who _you _are, but, as for us, you can call me Bella," she stated simply with a small flip of her hair and no motioned to the giant robot beside her, "And Hyperdrive." She now smirked at the sight before her, her arm forming into a cannon, "Now let's play."

"I'd be glad to," Jay murmured and smirked as she aimed her cannon at Anabella.  
Jacob shook his head and pointed his own cannon at Anabella. "Now, Jay you can't have all the fun, you have to share."

"Yes, don't be silly," Anabella began, grinning as her other arm now formed into a cannon as well, aiming each weapon at Jacob and Jay, "There's plenty of me to go around," she now shot each of her weapons, recoiling and flipping backwards to only land perfectly on a spare piece of rubble. Hyperdrive, had taken this as his cue to jerk forward, with a smirk upon his features, and to Bumblebee, his arm formed into an immense cannon to be shot at the robot Camaro.

Jay blinked and fired her cannon at the blast that spiraled toward her. She smirked as the blasts collided and formed a small smoky explosion. Jay then darted through the smoke toward Anabella, firing a shimmering magenta blast from her cannon and at Anabella.  
Jacob lunged from his place on the ground and into the air and toward Anabella. He, too, shot a glimmering blast at his foe, only his brilliant black.

Following the actions of her comrades, El had jutted forward along with both Jay and Jacob, her cannons warming up. As she ran forward, she had leaned down partially to gain a bit more speed toward Anabella. Skidding to a halt, she shot a round of emerald blasts from her cannon.  
Anabella merely smirked, taking another flip backwards, her movements surprisingly agile as she did so. However, a few shots had skimmed the edge of armor imbedded along her arm. She stumbled for a moment, before debating her actions and grinning once again. Her eyes were intent along Jay and El, shifting her vision back from each figure to the other, as she now jutted forward with intense speed so that she was barely visible as she shot a number of shots at her opponents as she darted past.

Jay watched this, her eyes struggling to follow Anabella's movements. This action only resulted in Jay's defense lowering slightly. She let out a small gasp as she saw a few number of shimmering orbs flying toward her. Jay barely had time to react as the orbs closed in on her and she raised her arms in front of her to deflect a few of the blasts. As Jay did this she winced as the blasts severed some of the armor and skin on her arms and abdomen. She panted slightly and glared after Anabella holding up her arm forming it into an exact duplicate of her foe's cannon. Jay waited and after a few short moments she fired a few rounds from the cannon and at Anabella.

Just as Anabella had caught sight of her own cannon, fired and aimed at her. This sudden duplication and mirror like image of her own weapon puzzled her for a moment, slowing her pace down, and nearly stumbling over. However, this allowed the blasts to take advantage of her sudden carelessness, colliding and gashing into her side. She winced, and skidded to a halt, bringing a hand to her injury. A glower was emitted from Anabella's vision, as she now lifted her cannon and aimed toward Jay once more.  
El stood in a fighting stance, farthest from Anabella, as she shot from far off, however, this instant; she aimed sound waves at Anabella's stumbled figure. She narrowed her eyes at the Omega, as her cannon produced blasts of frequencies. Wincing, she recoiled back, and muttered something inaudible under her breath, quickly darting forward to join once more in battle.  
Jay smirked at Anabella and laughed slightly. "Things are different when you're betrayed by your own weapon, huh?" she asked and held the duplicate weapon to its original owner. She glanced to El and arched an eyebrow. "What did that odd little sound trick tell you?" she asked keeping her focus mainly on Anabella.

El, along with Jacob, had approached Anabella, stopping carefully just beside Jay, holding up her own cannon to the omega, "She's analyzing our capabilities and sending back everything she learns to her leader."

"Well, that makes me feel wonderful, I'm being tested," Jay muttered and glared at Anabella. "So what do you say we just get rid of her so she can't send her findings to her leader and keep us a mystery?"

"It's already too late for that," El muttered, looking to Jay, "We've already given her everything she needs and she, here, has a nifty little power as well. Communicating over any sort of distance to anyone she pleases. Sort of like long distance telepathy. She's already sent everything to Claire."

Jay pouted slightly as El said this. "Well that's not fun. Oh well, we can still have a little fun with her right?" she grinned and looked to Anabella, smirking. "You still wanna play? Or are you just gonna run off now that you've done your work?"

Anabella laughed gently and stood now, clutching her gaping wound, "I'd rather I take care of this before I bleed to death. It's been fun, though," she stated, winking and looking up to Hyperdrive, who still continued to fight against Bumblebee and also had his share of battle scars, "C'mon, Hyperdrive! The cats out of the bag..."

Hyperdrive let out a pout as he glanced to Anabella. "But, Bella, I'm just starting to have fun!" he muttered as he dodged a blow from Bumblebee.  
"You know Starscream's gonna be pissed if we don't get back. He's such a stiff sometimes," Anabella responded rather casually, despite the cannons pointed in her direction still.

Hyperdrive pouted slightly. "He takes the fun out of things sometimes," he murmured and smirked to Bumblebee. "We'll have to finish our spar some other time!" With that being said he took a step back from Bumblebee and transformed into a Corvette. He sped closer to Anabella his door flung open for her.

Anabella looked back to each Alpha now; smirking and offering a small salute, "Ta!" she stated playfully and quickly escaped into the corvette, small traces of blood splattering along the rubble as she did so.

Hyperdrive's engine roared and his tires screeched as he sped off into the flames and out of the site of the Alphas.  
Jay watched after the two until she couldn't see them anymore. She then winced and clutched onto her abdomen with her injured arms. "Alright, this isn't fair. How come I'm the only one who got hurt?"

"Probably because you're a rookie who's always up in their opponent's face," Jacob shrugged, smirking as he watched his sister, "Or it could be that you're just lucky."

"If you haven't noticed Jacob, I'm always up in someone's face. That's just me," Jay murmured and took a deep breath. "But what a time for Feli to not be here, and I don't have any time to wait for her I have to hurry and get ready," she said with a wince.

This time, it was El to speak up as she now observed Jay's wound, "Can you really manage to go out tonight with that?" she responded, her voice caressed with concerned as she couldn't help but stare at the trailing blood down Jay's body.

"Yeah, it'll be fine. It honestly doesn't hurt that much," Jay said grinning slightly.

Jacob laughed gently upon this, running a hand through his hair, "And you're saying you won't pass out like you have most of time?" he questioned now, grinning slightly.

Jay glared at Jacob and growled slightly. "It's not my fault I'm using more energy than I'm used to," she muttered wincing slightly.

"I'd say so," El began, rubbing one of her temples as she was trying to block out Anabella's life that clogged her mind at the moment, "Every time I've found you in your room, you've been fast asleep."

"Yeah, the most work I've ever had to do was a little lifting and walking, oh, and the ever tiring job of sitting on my ass driving," Jay muttered and began to walk away, though her pace was slow.

El watched this, her expression uncertain as she watched Jay's stature, "Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Yeah, I'm sure, I just need a shower, badly," Jay murmured and picked up her pace. "So I better be going, and I won't stay out too long, Jacob do stop fretting."

Jacob arched an eyebrow and smiled uneasily, "Fretting? Who the hell said I was fretting?"

Jay rolled her eyes and laughed slightly. "You did. Or at least that's what you were thinking," she murmured and took off without another word.

Jacob laughed lightly, though; it was uncertain whether or not he was laughing toward Jay or foolishly at himself. A moment later, he too left in a hush. El would have done so as well, taking a step forward, though, she stopped herself to look behind her. Bumblebee was already positioned just a few feet away from her, slumping slightly as he loosely clutched his shoulder, which had been torn to shreds. He straightened himself however, as El had looked to him curiously, "And what about you...? You don't exactly seem at you best," she muttered, taking another step back.

"Ratchet will meet me somewhere and fix me up, so don't worry about me," Bumblebee said and straightened himself a little more, smiling at El.

El sighed lightly and looked up to him with a nod, now darting into the night after Jacob and Jay without a single word produced from her lips.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The weekend passed quickly with Jay simply sleeping most of it away. When her long hours of sleep ended the realization of what had happened Friday night after the fight sunk in. Jay now sat in the lobby of the catering business awaiting Michael to enter the building. She let out a heavy sigh and glanced at the clock anxiety rising in her. Along her arms and abdomen were a few cream colored bandages that covered the wounds she had sustained and never had the chance to get healed. Jay groaned and leaned back in her chair, wincing in the process, as she continued to wait impatiently for Michael.

It had only been moments, though; perhaps an eternity had passed when Michael had inevitably entered into the front lobby of the building. For a few minutes, as he checked in his name for the day, Michael had not caught sight of Jay, merely continued with his work, however, his expression blank and his eyes were partially obscured by his blonde hair. As he turned his body to head to the elevator, his vision had captured Jay's. He rolled his eyes and scoffed lightly, continuing to the elevator silently.

Jay stood and walked over to Michael, her eyes soft and meek. "Michael, I'm sorry about Friday," she muttered her voice merely a whisper. She looked to the ground one arm wrapped around her body.  
"So, you're going to talk to me now? Why not have called me on Friday to tell me you were ditching me, hm?" Michael responded, avoiding her gaze, and instead focusing punching the elevator button and waiting, impatiently, for the machine to arrive.  
"I didn't mean to ditch you," Jay murmured, looking to Michael innocently. "Something came up that couldn't be avoided and when I finished with that I was getting ready, but I ended up falling asleep."  
"And you didn't decide to call or tell me anything, until now? Do you realize how much of an idiot I looked like waiting there for someone who wouldn't show?" Michael then urged, still in an effort to avoid her gaze.  
"I'm sorry I really am. But to tell you the truth I slept most of the weekend. Last week was just a stressful week and I didn't get much sleep," Jay whispered her eyes still focused on the ground.  
Michael made a sigh and set his head against the wall, annoyance building as the elevator had ceased to come just yet, "Did you even make some sort of effort to get to the phone...?"  
"Michael I couldn't move, what I had to deal with left me so sore that it took all my energy just to pull a blanket over me," Jay muttered as she glanced up to Michael, her expression resembling that of a kicked puppy.

Another exhale escaped Michael's lips, and, realizing the elevator would take some time, he turned to face her. He paused for a moment, his expression softening partially as he discovered the innocence and remorse featured along her face. He made yet another sigh as he saw this, his eyes now reaching the bandages spread along her body, "You aren't lying, huh?" he muttered, cursing under his breath at himself, "Just realize you have _a lot_ of repaying to do after this..."

Jay smiled meekly and took a step closer to Michael. "No I'm not lying. And I know, I figured as much," she murmured as she looked up to him.  
Michael now looked to the arrived elevator, the doors sliding open. He grabbed Jay's hand, being careful not to handle the bandages to severely, and pulled her into the empty machine. Once the doors had closed, he leaned against the side of the mirrored walls, his refection multiplied against its surface, "So, start repaying. I've got the time," he suggested, watching her intently as he now crossed his arms.

"How should I do that?" Jay asked as she glanced around at the many Michael's that stared at her.

Michael looked to the ceiling, "Be creative...." he muttered and now pressed the highest number along the dials of the elevator, "You have till we get to the top level."

Jay looked to the floor and sighed slightly. "You know I'm clueless about this kind of thing. So this really isn't fair," she murmured as she looked back to Michael.

"It's perfectly fair. You missed our date, so you should be able to come up with something to be forgiven," Michael explained with a small shrug as he brushed away a few strands of hair to reveal his brilliant eyes.

Jay stood in her place and gently bit her bottom lip as she thought of what to do. She finally sighed and looked to Michael, her expression still resembling a puppy's, and stepped closer to him. She stood on the tips of her toes so she was a little closer to his height. "I really am sorry I missed our date," she muttered, her hands placed delicately on his chest as she leaned up closer to Michael. A hint of pink crossed Jay's cheeks as she smiled and then gently pressed her lips to Michael's, a shiver of pleasure shooting through her body at the touch.

It had taken a moment to sink in. The touch of her lips pressed softly along his; a small gesture of apology as Michael found the strands of pink against his cheek. They were oddly satisfying; however, he did not take notice. At the moment, he was more mystified by the caress of her lips. His eyes had widened at the sudden collision, not expecting such an impact, however, his eyelids lowered partially as he regained his composure. For a moment, he was hesitant, but, he reached his hand into the long locks of her hair and leaned down to return her gift of apology; kissing her back, as he was suddenly engulfed by her cold touch.  
Jay's eyes widened as Michael did this, her pink cheeks darkened and her heart rate quickened. Soon she calmed and melted into the kiss; though, the distant sound of a bell soon entered her head as the floor beneath her ceased to move.

As Michael slid his arm about Jay's waist, the elevator doors slid open; the mirror surface vanishing to reveal a group of employees who had been waiting for it to arrive. For an instant or so, Michael did not notice, however, as he lifted his head partially to now move his lips to her cheek, he caught sight of the group. They stared for a moment, though, their expressions varied. Two younger men grinned in approval, while an older woman held a look of detest. Nonetheless, Michael broke away, smiling uneasily as he nudged Jay to look at their audience.

Jay slowly glanced over her shoulder, her cheeks an even brighter shade of pink. She smiled meekly at her coworkers and then looked to the ground, embarrassment filling her. "Note so self... Elevators are no place to repay anyone..." she whispered with a small groan.

A small awkward laugh escaped Michael's lips as he now intertwined Jay's hand with his, pulling her from the small area, and shoved his way past the group, "...That was...awkward," he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he now came to a stop and looked back to the employees who now entered the elevator (in particular, the two men had been laughing gently and whispering things to one another).

"You think?" Jay asked her eyes still focused on the ground and her cheeks still pink. "It must have been worse for me. Ex-loners aren't used to that kind of attention..."

"But it worked," Michael began; now releasing Jay's hand. He smiled lightly upon her, as he watched her intently, "I accept your apology."

Jay looked up to Michael and smiled meekly. "Good, I was way out of my comfort zone just then," she murmured and looked back to the ground, messing with the hem of her skirt.

Michael smile broadened partially as he now leaned down, so he was only inches from her face, "What do you say we try that date, again, sometime?"

Jay looked up her face flushing again, not expecting his face to be so close. "A-Alright, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to make it if it's at night again. Those unavoidable things I have to deal with like to show up in the evening," she muttered and clutched onto her arm as she winced slightly.

"Then how about something in the afternoon? Right after work. Nothing extravagant, mind you, but something to just get you away from that stress of yours," Michael stated simply, his hair nearly touching the edges of Jay's face as it fell.

Jay smiled and nodded slightly. "I think I can deal with that," she said a small smile crossing her lips.

"Good," he retorted, now grinning like a small child as he now messed with a spare strand of pink hair dangling over Jay's white eyes, "And we'll take my car, alright? If that's fine with you, I mean."

"Yeah, that's fine. Seeing as I really don't have a car of my own. I would have to steal El's..." Jay muttered shuttering at the thought of Bumblebee listening in on their date.

"That semi, though, is practically yours anyway, considering how often you use it," Michael then noted, recalling each day they've used the large blue and crimson vehicle.

"Yeah, but he would attract too much attention if I drove him around all the time," Jay said her eyes locked with Michael'.

Michael tilted his head partially as he noted how Jay described her truck, "'him'?" he raised an eyebrow, curiously.

"Oh, sorry. Just a habit to label inanimate objects with genders," Jay said smiling uneasily.

Michael chuckled slightly; however, he cringed partially at the sound of their boss's voice from the room on the other side of the wall beside him. A series of cursing was pronounced at one of the business's high ranking employees, making Michael uneasy for a moment, "Er...what do you say we hurry and get to work, before he decides to yell at us too for the elevator incident..."

"Yeah, that's the last thing we need huh?" Jay asked releasing a small sigh.

"I just have to finish some papers, then we can hurry off," Michael responded, and as he straightened himself, he took hold of Jay's hand, and began to walk with her at his side.

"Y'know... you're really warm," Jay muttered randomly as she stared at their hands and then looked to Michael's face.

Michael smiled partially, "Well, you feel like Antarctica..." he retorted simply, with a shrug, though, his smile was still set on his lips.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Jay murmured and looked back to their hands. "Is my skin really that cold? Cause I never noticed."

Michael stopped in his tracks, turning to face Jay properly. He sighed and brought her hand to his cheek, in a hush for a moment, "You tell me. Does _this_ really feel that warm?" he inquired, but leaned down partially to watch her intently again, still keeping her hand in place.

"Yeah, your skin is really warm. I guess that's why doctors always think I should be dead and the fact when I have a slight fever my temperature is 94.5 degrees," Jay murmured and smiled uneasily.

At this information, Michael arched an eyebrow, "Is that even possible...?" he laughed gently, "Well, then again, nothing is really impossible, anymore."

Jay laughed slightly but then cringed as she heard her boss yell again. "You may want to hurry with that paperwork," she murmured and sighed.

Michael mimicked her action, rubbing the side of his head as it suddenly ached from the shout, "...shit," he muttered, and hurried in the direction of where his work was stored. He still clasped Jay's hand, too distracted at the moment, to realize the gentle chills that ran up and down his spine from the pleasure of her touch.

Jay followed behind Michael in silence, her eyes glued to him the entire time. She let out a small sigh as her eyes trailed to their linked hands. "So, just out of curiosity, does it bother you that my skin is so cold?" she asked randomly as she waited for Michael to finish what he needed to finish.

Michael laughed partially as he now jotted down the company's name along the papers he had quickly retrieved, "It bothers me just as much as that scar. Need I say more?" he responded, smiling lightly, as his eyes were set along his work.

"That makes me feel a little better," Jay murmured as she sat on the edge of the desk that Michael worked at. She lifted her hand and looked at it with a small sigh.

"Only a little?" Michael suddenly urged, lifting his head to see her and running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah a little, I just wished I could tell you the reasoning behind the chill of my skin," Jay said in almost a whisper. "But I suppose you'll learn on your own, right?"

"I'm always up for a challenge," Michael grinned, now resting his head in his supposedly warm palm.

Jay laughed slightly and smiled at Michael. "Then you have one," she muttered and leaned closer to Michael. "Now hurry and get that stuff done so we can leave."

Michael smiled, and now stood, leaning over his desk toward Jay. His hands were set along the desk, his paperwork just under his fingers, "Aren't you patient..." he muttered, and laughed gently before he skimmed his lips along her cheek, wishing for just another touch of the chilled flesh.

Jay's cheeks flushed as Michael did this, "Yes, I'm very patient, couldn't you tell?" she asked in a semi-sarcastic tone.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know I just finished," Michael declared, grinning as he now straightened himself and gathered his work and placing them in a small folder.

"Good, the boss keeps glancing over at us like we're doing something wrong," Jay muttered and hopped off the desk, smiling at Michael.

"He's just in a pissy mood today..." Michael muttered, though, his voice was low and careful so not to attract the attention of their boss. He then smiled and walked to Jay's side, his work placed under his arm.

Jay laughed and smirked slightly. "Maybe he's PSMing," she muttered grinning up to Michael.

"You better not let him hear that," Michael remarked, though, he still smirked nonetheless as he put an arm around Jay's shoulder leaning down a little closer to her height, "Now, let's go, before he really gets ticked..."

"Right, I don't think I could afford to lose my job," Jay said smiling at Michael. She laughed and shrugged Michael's arm from her shoulder and took his hand in hers, her smile bright as she felt the warmth of his skin against hers.

One would think that sudden numb cold against his skin, would pronounced some sort of shudder or recoil from Michael's part, however, he merely matched Jay's smile at the touch. He pulled her toward the way they came, his grip, if anything, had tightened along her hand as the chill somehow was pleasurable along his body. Despite this, that day, they had continued their work as always, though, somehow more intertwined in one another's conversations and lives.


End file.
